Antonio Conte has indicated that Napoli will stick to their agreement to sell Victor Osimhen this summer.
The Nigerian international has drawn interest from several clubs, including Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal, and previously turned down an offer from the Saudi Pro League.
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Napoli has agreed to let Osimhen go this summer but are waiting for a team to meet his €130 million (£110.8m) release clause.
However, this price is proving too high for European clubs, and Napoli may have to consider lowering their asking price to complete the sale.
Conte, speaking to the media for the first time since becoming Napoli’s head coach, revealed that he has been assured Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Frank Anguissa, and Stanislav Lobotka will not be sold, but he could not provide the same assurance for Osimhen.
‘As far as Osimhen is concerned, just as I knew very well about the situation of Kvara, Di Lorenzo, Anguissa, Lobotka, on which I have placed an absolute veto,’ Conte said.
‘Having said that, I know what the situation is regarding Osimhen. I know that there are agreements, that it is a situation different from all the others. I can only assist.
‘He is a player of the highest level, exceptional, but I cannot enter into any discussion because it is part of previous agreements which have been clearly stated to me.’
Conte also confirmed Kvaratskhelia, who had attracted huge interest from Paris Saint-Germain, will be a vital part of his plans at Napoli.
‘He’s staying,’ Conte said.
‘I’ve been very categorical about this. The president gave him this wonderful news.
‘Kvaratskhelia is a player that there are fewer and fewer with these characteristics, so it’s not a whim to want to keep Kvara.
‘I consider him a really strong player, like Di Lorenzo. Strong in one-on-one situations if he’s on the wing, but also strong when he comes inside, but he’s also a playmaker, he creates situations not only in terms of his goals but also very important assists.
‘I think that if you systematically keep Kvara on the pitch, he loses a bit of his mental freedom, I think. We have to indulge his characteristics, we’ll do this with him and with the players we have in the squad.’
