Napoli free scoring Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen would have ended up at Arsenal two summers ago when he was in talks over a deal to leave French Ligue 1 side Lille.
Osimhen joined Napoli in a deal reportedly worth over €90 million but Arsenal were also very close to luring the forward who has started this season like a house on fire with six goals in five games so far.
Italian journalist Paolo Bargiggia who is close to Osimhen’s agent revealed he was fee details away from joining Arsenal forcing Napoli president to step in to solve the impasse regarding the deal. Arsenal were using their relationship with Lille in talks over the deal.
Both teams did a deal for Nicolas Pepe, a summer before talks were held over Osimhen but Napoli’s quick response denied both teams the chance of a consecutive deal according to Bargiggia.
Speaking to 1 Station Radio, he said: “You must know that Osimhen was followed by Arsenal: he was very close to the Gunners, but Cristiano Giuntoli spoke with Aurelio De Laurentiis and the president broke the delay: so Napoli decided and managed to buy him.”
