Explosive Liverpool move for Victor Osimhen ON as Napoli reject opening triple swap proposal - report

The Premier League champions won the title by 10 clear points this season, having steamrollered their way to glory in Slot's first season at the helm. But with the Dutchman desperate to ensure their success is not a flash in the pan, Liverpool are now backing the manager with serious transfer cash as he strives to put his own stamp on the squad he inherited from Jurgen Klopp.

Racing out the transfer blocks, Liverpool have already added five new signings, with Milos Kerkez on the cusp of being announced as their latest addition to join Giorgi Mamardashvili (arranged last summer), Jeremie Frimpong, Armin Pecsi and Florian Wirtz on Merseyside.

Despite this summer's outlays now exceeding ┬ú190m (Ôé¼223m, $261m), the Reds are far from done and a rumoured sixth signing has now started to gather serious pace and having been billed as a 'no-brainer' for Slot.

Even after that deal is done, Liverpool are still lacking the one signing many thought would be their priority focus this summer: a new No.9.

And after being linked with a plethora of names, ranging from Alexander Isak to Hugo Ekitike and, most recently, Viktor Gyokeres, reports in the last few days have suggested the Reds are ready to trigger a move for a former Klopp target in Osimhen.

The powerful Nigerian striker is free to leave Napoli this summer with just a year left on his deal and Antonio Conte's side have made it clear they are open to his sale, having long since moved away from the Osimhen era.

And after we exclusively revealed last week that Liverpool were open to a swap deal for the Nigerian involving Federico Chiesa and Darwin Nunez, a second reporter, Valter De Maggio, has now verified claims that transfer talks between both clubs have now taken place.

However, as the journalist has revealed, the reigning champions of Italy and England remain some distance apart in terms of what an equal swap would look like....
Liverpool and Napoli discuss Victor Osimhen swap deal
In Liverpool's eyes, an offer of both Chiesa and Nunez - two players cleared to leave Anfield this summer - would equate to a fair swap for Osimhen, who himself is available for transfer for a fee of Ôé¼75m (┬ú64m, $88m).

And while the Reds want a Ôé¼60m (┬ú51m, $70m) fee for the Uruguay striker and a further Ôé¼20m (┬ú17m, $23.4m) for the Italy winger, it's understood Napoli want a further cash adjustment worth Ôé¼20m - largely owing to the fact that they believe Nunez should move for a lower fee.

Explaining the complexities of the talks in more detail, De Maggio told Radio Goal, via Area Napoli: "There is a market twining between Naples and Liverpool. The English club wants Osimhen and Napoli, from this point of view, does not make discounts on the clause, so it asks for the Ôé¼75 million as per the contract .

"Liverpool would have opened to Napoli, proposing an equal exchange between the players involved in this operation.

"[Napoli president] Aurelio De Laurentiis, however, has other ideas and from that ear he doesn't hear us: the president of the blue club asks for Chiesa, Nunez and Ôé¼20 million for the Osimhen card.ÔÇØ

As a result, talks are expected to continue between the two clubs over a prospective deal.

Of the three players, it looks like Nunez is closest to securing a move, having already green-lit a switch to the Amalfi Coast.

As a result, there remains the likelihood that any deal or deals will be conducted as three separate transactions, should all three progress as intended.
Liverpool transfer latest: Gyokeres links played down; 11 Reds exits planned
The two sales of Chiesa and Nunez look set to be part of a giant summer clearout on Merseyside and, with a number of departures already confirmed, a report this week has named the 11 players in total who will likely be shown the door as Slot takes a ruthless approach with his squad.

On the subject of a new striker signing, shock reports in Portugal on Wednesday suggesting Liverpool could gatecrash the race to sign Gyokeres have very quickly been dismissed, amid new claims Slot has no desire to sign the Swede.

Meanwhile, a top journalist insists the Reds do remain 'seriously interested' in signing Ekitike this summer, but have some big hurdles to clear before they can bring the Eintracht Frankfurt striker to Merseyside.
Liverpool's new No.9? A look at Osimhen's phenomenal stats down the years