The Nigerian attacker continues to shine this season, netting his 7th goal in 12 games for Atalanta in the 2024-25 season with a brace against Napoli.

Lookman’s two first-half goals set the tone for the Neapolitans’ defeat, who were without star striker Victor Osimhen. Coincidentally, around the same month last year, Osimhen had provided an assist for Eljif Elmas to cancel out one of Lookman’s goals.

Lookman’s standout performance earned him the Man of the Match award, and he took to social media to share pictures of himself holding the award with the caption, “Happy Sunday from Naples.”

Happy Sunday from Naples pic.twitter.com/xMiQqZ7fnv

— Ademola Lookman (@Alookman_) November 3, 2024

He opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a composed finish inside Napoli’s box, firing a first-time shot to the bottom left corner of Alex Meret’s goal.

Just 21 minutes later, the former Everton forward doubled Atalanta’s lead with a powerful strike from outside the right corner of the box, completing his brace.

Antonio Conte’s men were unable to respond at their home ground, allowing Atalanta to close the gap at the top of the table to just three points.

Atalanta now sits second in the Serie A standings with 22 points, while Napoli remains in first place with 25 points.

Osimhen fell out with the Napoli hierarchy after trying to force a move away from the club, and the 2023 Scudetto winners brought Lukaku in as his replacement as he headed out to Galatasaray on loan.

It might be early days, but it appears the move has worked in favour of both players, as they’ve led their teams to the top of their respective leagues.

However, Di Napoli claims Lukaku fits Conte’s system like hands in a glove, and is unsure if it would have been the same with Osimhen.

“For Conte’s balance, he is fundamental. It is no coincidence that when the two (Conte and Lukaku) are in the same team they perform at their best. Lukaku is a player who room, scores goals, and gives others breathing space to score many goals. He is clearly different from Osimhen. At this moment we need to think about Lukaku, who compared to Osimhen is more of a team player. He scores fewer goals (compared to Osimhen) but the team scores more,” the 50-year-old said on 1 Football Club, a radio program broadcast on 1 Station Radio, as revealed by Tutto Napoli.

In Osimhen’s absence, the Cologno manager has revealed Napoli are all clear for the league title if they can put up a fight against last season’s Scudetto winners, Inter Milan.

“Inter are still the team to beat. They concede more defensively than last year. However, it was also difficult to repeat that feat. Last year they had an extraordinary championship, they didn’t make any mistakes. In any case, they are still the favorite for the Scudetto, for sure. They came first last year.”

With Conte in charge of Napoli, they’re favourites to win the league, considering they’re not involved in any European competition.

Osimhen was widely tipped to join one of Europe’s elite clubs last summer, but a move failed to materialize, and he was frozen out of the club, as they brought in Lukaku as his replacement.

A deadline day swoop saw the former LOSC Lille man join Turkish side, Galatasaray on a season-long loan, and he’s been in fine form for them, scoring two goals and providing two assists in three league games.

Under Conte, Napoli have reached cruise control, losing just one game in the league and conceding the second-least number of goals just behind Juventus as they stand top of the Serie A.

Denis, speaking after Napoli’s 3-1 win against Como on Friday, aired his doubts about Osimhen fitting into Conte’s system, claiming Lukaku is a better option.

“We saw a Lukaku in form, even if Conte knows perfectly well what he lacks. He is a Lukaku who is very generous, he plays for the team, yesterday he made two assists as an attacking midfielder.

Napoli was built to win, the squad is large and whoever is called upon always does well and this is important for a coach who knows he can count on the bench. This will make the difference.

Lukaku in place of Osimhen? I don’t know if Osimhen would have been as suitable for Napoli as Lukaku is with Conte. Napoli made the right choice,” the Argentine said in quotes revealed by Tribal Football.

Osimhen is set to be out of action for about six weeks after picking up a fresh thigh injury with Galatasaray.

Osimhen’s future remains in the balance even after the end of the summer transfer window. The Super Eagles striker played an important role for the club in last three seasons. And his performances ensured that he was linked to several top clubs during the summer transfer window.

However, despite links with clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, PSG, and Al Ahli, the Nigerian striker failed to move before the transfer deadline on Friday night.

Now, it appears that the Nigerian striker is at crossroads because the transfer window in all the top European leagues are closed and Al Ahli are no longer interested in him because they now have Ivan Toney.

Now, in a new development, per Fabrizio Romano, Napoli coach Conte has confirmed that he will not accept Osimhen back into the team. He revealed this after their game against Parma on Saturday.

“No player will be reintegrated, those who are out of the project will remain out of the project. We made our choices and work in one direction all together,” Conte said.

Lukaku, who was brought in as Osimhen’s replacement has already started delivering the good. He scored on his debut against Parma on Saturday, and that would have obviously made Conte Napoli believe that they can succeed without Osimhen.

Chelsea had aggressively pursued Osimhen, but negotiations with Napoli reached a deadlock, leaving the Premier League club empty-handed as the transfer deadline passed.

The main stumbling block appeared to be Chelsea’s reluctance to match Osimhen’s current salary or the lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli.

Despite an offer from Chelsea, Osimhen rejected the proposal, reportedly ending talks and leaving Stamford Bridge officials frustrated.

With the transfer window closed, Osimhen remains a Napoli player, but Conte’s stance is unchanged — Osimhen is not in his plans moving forward.

This decision was evident when Osimhen was omitted from Napoli’s squad for their dramatic Serie A victory over Parma, a match in which new signing Romelu Lukaku made an immediate impact by scoring.

Reflecting on Napoli’s transfer activity, Conte stated, “Strong players have arrived from a market that was difficult and at times blocked. They came to fill the slots, and I’m happy with the work done by the club.”

However, he also added a pointed remark directed at Osimhen: “Of course, if Osimhen had been sold, we would have completed the situation better.”

Conte’s comments suggest Osimhen’s future at Napoli is bleak, potentially pushing the forward to reconsider a move to Saudi Arabia, especially as Al Ahli recently secured a deal for England’s Ivan Toney.

Meanwhile, Conte praised his squad’s resilience after their dramatic comeback win, acknowledging the team’s need for further improvement.

The 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup winner is yet to take part in any of Napoli’s games this season as he continues to wait for a move away from the Italian club.

PSG were in contact with Antonio Conte’s side over a possible move for Osimhen earlier in the transfer window, and had personal terms agreed with the 25-year-old, but could not meet his €130m release clause, and Napoli are not willing to discuss any amount below their asking price.

Portuguese striker, Gonçalo Ramos injured his ankle in PSG’s clash against Le Havre in Ligue, and as per AP News, the 23-year-old will require surgery in the coming days, and will miss at least three months of action for Le Parisien, rekindling talks for Osimhen.

According to French outlet, L’Equipe, Luis Enriquie’s side have decided not to pursue a deal for Osimhen despite Ramos’ injury blow. PSG Talk reports that the French side will make a move for another player in the coming days, but it won’t be a striker.

PSG have decided NOT to pursue a deal for Victor Osimhen despite Goncalo Ramos’ injury blow.

[@lequipe via @Transferzone00]

— Simon Phillips (@siphillipssport) August 19, 2024

These reports leave Chelsea as the favourites to land Osimhen with PSG and Arsenal out of the way. Arsenal coach, Mikel Arteta, confirmed his club won’t be signing a new striker this summer although Eddie Nketiah is rumoured to be on his way out of the Emirates Stadium.

“I have faith in [Havertz], we have faith in [Gabriel Jesus]. [Leandro Trossard] has played in that position. So we have different qualities in there and the best thing we can do is trust the players that we have and try improve them. They are so good and so willing and that’s what we focus on,” The Spaniard told talkSPORT.

Arsenal had a fine start to their Premier League campaign, securing a 2-0 victory over Wolves while Chelsea lost to Manchester City yesterday.

Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal have been linked with the former Wolfsburg man, but none of them could conjure up Napoli’s asking price of €130m.

Chelsea looked to have had a deal in place with Atletico De Madrid for Samu Omorodion, but the transfer fell through in the final minutes, re-opening a window for the Blues to discuss a deal for Osimhen.

According to the Scottish Sun, Chelsea are on the verge of completing an £85m deal for Victor Osimhen in an extraordinary player-swap deal.

The report stated Chelsea will include Romelu Lukaku and former Leicester City midfielder, Cesare Casadei, plus a further £39m to seal the transfer.

Antonio Conte is keen on signing Lukaku before the transfer window shuts on the last day of this month, and Osimhen is open to moving to London as long as the deal is permanent.

Chelsea’s billionaire owner, Todd Boehly, has already spent £152m this summer, bringing in the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Guiu, Pedro Neto and Jorgensen. Since the American took over at the club, the two-time UEFA Champions League winners have spent £1.114b on bringing players in.

With Omorodion’s deal off the table, Enzo Maresca wants another striker to lead the line ahead of Nicolas Jackson, and Osimhen fits the ideal profile for Pep Guardiola’s ex-assistant.

The swap deal would represent a staggering loss for Chelsea, effectively getting £46m for two players who cost them a combined £114.5m in the last three years. Lukaku’s £97.5m transfer from Inter Milan in 2021 was just shy of the Premier League record at the time. Since then, Chelsea have brought in Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo for a combined fee of £202.97m.

However, the club will be looking to get Lukaku off their wage books as the Belgian forward earns a weekly wage of £325,000, and his departure will free a whopping £17 million in Chelsea’s books.

The 25-year-old is the club’s most prized asset, with his release clause set at a hundred and thirty million euros, but finding a team outside of Italy to match the fee has been a huge task so far, leaving his future up in the air.

Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal have been the names constantly revolving around the former LOSC Lille man, but none of these teams are willing to pay above €100m.

Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea looked to have had a deal in place with Atletico Madrid for 2024 Paris Olympics gold medallist, Samu Omorodion. Following a medical in the French capital, Samu’s deal with Chelsea has collapsed, as earlier reported by Soccernet.ng.

According to a report from Standard Sport, Osimhen has now handed in a transfer request in an attempt to force a move, with Samu’s collapsed deal opening another window for Chelsea to make an offer for the former Wolfsburg striker. It will be interesting to see if Chelsea can secure an agreement with the Italian club in the coming weeks.

Chelsea are keen on bringing in a quality striker this summer, as Nicolas Jackson was sub-par last season. Victor Osimhen is a perfect profile for the Blues, but from previous negotiations, the two-time UEFA Champions League winners value the Nigerian at a lesser fee than Napoli’s request.

Napoli on the other hand, wants to sign Romelu Lukaku and already have an agreement in place with Chelsea for the Belgian striker. The progress of the deal, however lies on Osimhen’s future, whether at the club or away.

Osimhen didn’t play in any of Napoli’s pre-season games and has been training away from the team till his future is sorted.

Osimhen has been linked with an exit from the Diego Maradona Stadium during the 2024 summer window. The new Napoli manager, Antonio Conte, has spotted the former Manchester United forward as his potential alternative.

Conte, who has a history of favouring Lukaku as his main striker during their time together at Inter Milan, is known for building his attack around the Belgian forward’s physical presence and goal-scoring ability.

If Conte were to implement a similar strategy at Napoli, it could potentially reduce Osimhen’s playing time or shift his role within the team if he sticks to staying at the club.

Given that Osimhen has been Napoli’s talisman, leading the line with his pace, power, and clinical finishing, the arrival of Lukaku could create competition for the central striker position.

However, Osimhen’s impressive performances and status as a fan favourite might still see him retain a key role in the team, possibly leading to a tactical adjustment that accommodates both strikers.

This scenario could either enhance Napoli’s attacking options or create a situation where Osimhen’s influence on the pitch is diminished, depending on how Conte manages the dynamic between the two players.

This whole scenario is only possible if Osimhen finds no suitable club to join, with his potential move to Chelsea hitting the rocks.

So far, the 130 million euro release clause slapped on the Nigerian attacker has made it difficult for his suitors to drop an acceptable offer for him.

The uncertainty surrounding Osimhen’s future is heightened by the ongoing transfer saga. While a move to Chelsea seemed plausible, the London club’s financial constraints and concerns over violating Financial Fair Play rules have complicated the situation.

Meanwhile, Manchester United’s focus has shifted to Joshua Zirkzee, and Paris Saint-Germain’s interest has cooled, with manager Luis Enrique reportedly questioning Osimhen’s fit within his tactical plans.

With Lukaku’s arrival at Napoli, the pressure mounts on Osimhen to find a suitable club if he wishes to avoid being sidelined.

The €130 million release clause has made potential suitors hesitant, but for Osimhen, securing a move before the transfer window closes may be crucial to maintaining his status as one of Europe’s top strikers.

The 25-year-old is keen on making a move to a bigger European club ahead of the new season and has shunned offers from two Saudi clubs, however, no club in the top five leagues are willing to pay his release clause.

Chelsea, Arsenal, and Paris Saint-Germain have held negotiations with Napoli about the services of the Super Eagles striker. While personal terms have been long-agreed, negotiations have stalled as Napoli are unwilling to reduce their asking price.

As per Sports Witness, Arsenal have withdrawn from the race for Victor Osimhen, taking another option off of the table for the Nigerian star.

With Eddie Nketiah close to agreeing a deal with Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille, Mikel Arteta wants to restructure his frontline with a 20-goal striker. Although Osimhen suits the profile the Spaniard wants, he’s only willing to fork out £85m for the former LOSC Lille man.

Italian journalist, Ciro Troise, speaking on Radio Capri revealed the only possible option for any club to conjure up a bid for Osimhen would be if they made massive sales.

“Osimhen? Nothing has changed. He reappears every now and then, but the situation is always the same: PSG doesn’t go beyond €70m and hasn’t sold Kolo Muani yet. While Chelsea and Arsenal have withdrawn,” the journalist said on Radio Capri in quotes revealed by Calcio Napoli.

On the other hand, Napoli boss, Antonio Conte, wants to bring Romelu Lukaku to the club, but Osimhen stands in the way. The former Wolfsburg man is yet to feature in any of Napoli’s pre-season friendly games and has been training alone, away from the rest of the team.