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Victor Osimhen has been left out of all Antonio Conte's Napoli squads, including the Serie A opener against Hellas Verona
Napoli’s handling of the Victor Osimhen transfer saga has come under fire from Italian media, with several outlets criticising the club’s approach as they head into their Serie A opener against Hellas Verona without the Nigerian striker.
Osimhen absent again from Napoli squad
Just as in all the pre-season warm-up games and the Copa Italia first-round fixture against Modena, Osimhen, who has been pushing for a move away from the Stadio Maradona, will not even be on the bench for the match against Verona.
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In his stead, Antonio Conte reportedly plans to deploy Giacomo Raspadori or Giovanni Simeone to lead the attack in the opening game of the 2024/25 Serie A season.
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Despite ongoing speculation about Osimhen’s future, no club has yet met his €130 million release clause, and Conte’s preferred replacement for the Nigerian striker, Romelu Lukaku, remains stuck at Chelsea, leaving Napoli short in attack as they begin the new Serie A season.
Italian media slam Napoli’s poor planning
Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport’s journalist G.B. Olivero questioned the club's decision to sideline Osimhen, writing, "It’s natural to wonder if the management of Osimhen from the club has been impeccable.
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“They have to honour their promise to sell, but without an offer and an actual negotiation, why haven’t the club used a champion who, moreover, has been abundantly paid?"
The criticism extends to Napoli's decision to leave new manager Antonio Conte without a proven striker for the season opener, as Olivero continued, "Picking Conte and leaving him without a striker [and other elements] for the season debut is a negative signal for Napoli, who can’t afford a slow start, and Conte can’t work miracles or score goals."
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After a sensationally poor title defence that saw Napoli finish 10th in Serie A last season after being crowned champions in the preceding season, the club will be hoping that Conte can steer them back in the right direction, but their lack of proper planning appe
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