🔍 Background & Initial Interest
- Liverpool’s long-term admiration: The club’s recruitment team, including Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes, have eyed Osimhen for some time—tracking his rise from Charleroi, Lille, to Napoli (footballtransfers.com).
- Loan success: His prolific loan spell at Galatasaray (26 goals in 30 games) further fueled interest from major clubs, Liverpool included .
- Squad strategy: With Darwin Núñez potentially moving on, Liverpool reportedly saw Osimhen as the ideal target to lead the line under manager Arne Slot (footballtransfers.com).
💼 Transfer Attempts & Breakdown
- Late-window push: In summer 2024, Liverpool made a “blitz” attempt to sign him as Napoli navigated a standoff with the player (90min.com).
- Terms clash: Napoli wanted a high fee (reports suggested €150 M), while Osimhen insisted on demanding wages. Liverpool’s salary structure couldn’t match; the deal collapsed (teamtalk.com).
- Romano’s clarification: Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano later emphasized that no personal terms were agreed with Liverpool—his existing Napoli contract was still unresolved (empireofthekop.com).
🔄 Where Things Stand Now
- Future exit poised: Osimhen is anticipated to leave Napoli after his loan stint and is attracting interest from top clubs across Europe, including Liverpool (transferfeed.com).
- Alternatives in place: Despite pursuing him, Liverpool opted to secure other forwards like Federico Chiesa, and are keeping tabs on Osimhen for potential future moves (dreamtransfers.com).
🧭 Overall Take
Liverpool have clearly identified Osimhen as a future PL striker—especially as a successor to Núñez—but in 2024 the deal fell through due to financial and wage misalignments. While nothing is agreed yet, they remain interested and may re-enter the market for him in upcoming transfer windows, depending on shifts in squad priorities and financial flexibility.
