Real Madrid are set to face Napoli in their Champions League group stage tie tonight. This match will see two of the strongest sides in the Group C face-off and is guaranteed to be a feisty affair for the spectators.
The Merengues will be particularly wary of the attacking talents of Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and properly handling these two attackers will be key for Real Madrid to come out victorious in this match.
However, this match and the UCL Group C is not the only association between Real Madrid and Napoli. One of the most high-profile players in the current Napoli squad, Victor Osimhen, is being associated with Los Blancos.
Real Madrid have been tracking Osimhen since the last summer and still have him in their sights. The departure of Karim Benzema in June left Madrid scrambling for a replacement for the prolific striker, and Osimhen, along with Harry Kane, was one of their preferred targets.
However, the transfer did not materialize because of the high valuation of the player, up to €200 million, by the Napoli President, De Laurentis.
Still, according to a report from Diario AS, Madrid did not completely discard the Osimhen option and have kept him in their sights, especially in case Mbappe chooses not to join the Royal Whites. The report mentions that Real Madrid are considering Erling Haaland and Victor Osimhen as two alternative options to Kylian Mbappe.
Osimhen’s current contract with Napoli runs till 2025. He reached an agreement in principle with Napoli to extend this contract till 2027, but this agreement has not yet turned into a signature on a new contract, and recent events have made his stay at Napoli somewhat uncertain.
Napoli started the season with two defeats and drew the next two matches. He was substituted in the last of these draws against Bologna, an event which resulted in him getting into a heated argument with his coach, Rudi Garcia.
However, matters got even worse when the club’s TikTok posted a video of Osimhen missing a penalty in this match, which resulted in Osimhen deleting all his pictures in a Napoli shirt from his social media.
Real Madrid have been observing these developments from a respectable distance, but their interest in the forward is still there. His age and attributes make him a perfect fit for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, and Real Madrid will be seeing him with extra interest as they face off against him on Tuesday night.
