Napoli Line Up Super Eagles Star in Swap Deal Ahead of Osimhen’s Potential Departure
- Napoli is considering a swap deal involving Giacomo Raspadori to sign Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman
- Lookman wants to leave Atalanta after a fallout with coach Gian Piero Gasperini following a missed penalty in February
- Premier League, Ligue 1, and La Liga clubs are also monitoring Lookman, who has just one year left on his contract
Napoli is considering a major squad overhaul as they prepare for the potential departure of star striker Victor Osimhen.
Romelu Lukaku currently leads the Napoli attack, but the 2022/23 Serie A champions are yet to decide whether to retain the Belgian forward or invest in a long-term successor.
With several top forwards potentially available in the summer transfer window, Napoli are exploring options, including a possible swap deal involving Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman.
Source: Getty Images
Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic, Atalanta's Lookman, and Udinese's Lorenzo Lucca as possible targets for the Italian giants. However, Napoli appears to be most keen on Lookman and Lucca.
Lookman, who won the African Footballer of the Year award in 2024, had opportunities to leave Atalanta last summer. However, the club rejected all offers, prioritising the sale of Teun Koopmeiners to Juventus instead.
This decision created tension between Lookman and Atalanta, leading to reports of training absences in protest.
Lookman’s fallout at Atalanta and Napoli’s interest
Lookman has made his intentions clear that he wants to leave Atalanta at the end of the season after his fallout with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini.
The 27-year-old forward’s relationship with Gasperini has reportedly deteriorated, particularly after a missed penalty in the Champions League clash against Club Brugge in February.
Napoli sees an opportunity to acquire Lookman and may use Giacomo Raspadori as part of a swap deal to lower Atalanta’s asking price.
Transfer expert Armando Areniello, speaking on ‘1 Football Club’ on 1 Station Radio as quoted by Il Sogno nel Cuore, has identified three potential targets for Napoli.
"There are three strikers who could change teams at the end of the season: Vlahovic, Lookman, and Lucca. Two of these three names, Lucca and Lookman, are very popular with Napoli.
In particular, for Lookman, Napoli could offer an interesting counterpart, namely Giacomo Raspadori, to lower Atalanta's valuation, which starts at 60 million euros."
Competition for Lookman’s signature
Although Napoli is showing strong interest, they face competition from other European clubs.
Source: Getty Images
Lookman’s impressive performances in Serie A and European competitions have caught the attention of teams across the continent.
The reigning CAF Player of the Year winner has only one year left on his Atalanta contract, which has attracted interest from clubs in the Premier League, Ligue 1, and La Liga.
With his contract running down, Atalanta may be forced to negotiate a deal rather than risk losing the Super Eagles star for free.
Lookman advised to ignore Napoli
Meanwhile, Nigerian football expert, Toritseju Williams in an exclusive chat with Legit.ng has advised Lookman to stay with Atalanta or move to the Premier League.
'Napoli is a great club, but it’s not the right environment for him now. If he’s going to take a step, let it be to the Premier League where his style suits the pace, and where he can truly showcase his talent on a bigger stage.' Williams stated.
Gasperini speaks after subbing Lookman
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Gasperini has reflected on Atalanta's 1-0 loss to Fiorentina, a result which dealt a big blow to their Italian Serie A title aspirations at a costly time.
The Italian manager started a forward duo of Mateo Retegui and Ademola Lookman but substituted both players in the 55th minute, raising questions as to why he hooked both.
Gasperini, speaking after the match, reflected on the team's loss and why his team struggled after the international break, particularly Retegui.
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Source: Legit.ng
