Napoli have turned down a formal offer of €70m from Galatasaray for striker Victor Osimhen, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Romano revealed on Friday that Galatasaray submitted the bid earlier in the day, complete with bank documents to guarantee payment. However, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis reportedly declined the proposal, insisting on a guaranteed €75million fee for the Nigerian forward.

“Understand Napoli have now rejected new formal proposal sent by Galatasaray today for Victor Osimhen,” Romano posted.

“Galatasaray offered €70m today with bank documents attached for payment guarantees… Napoli president De Laurentiis wants €75m guaranteed and he has rejected,” he added.

The latest rejection marks another setback in Galatasaray’s prolonged pursuit of the Super Eagles striker, with negotiations having dragged on for weeks.

This development represents a shift from earlier reports suggesting the two clubs had reached a breakthrough in negotiations for Osimhen’s €75m transfer.

Previous reports had indicated that Galatasaray and Napoli were close to finalising a deal that would allow the Turkish club to spread the payment over five instalments rather than paying the full amount upfront.

However, the latest bid falls short of Napoli’s valuation, despite Galatasaray providing the banking guarantees that the Serie A club had been demanding.Osimhen, a key figure in Napoli’s successes two seasons ago, remains one of the most sought-after strikers in European football.

The Nigeria international had rejected a far more lucrative move to Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, preferring to remain at Galatasaray, where he spent last season on loan.

Earlier reports had indicated that Napoli were actively working to push the Super Eagles striker towards a more lucrative move to Saudi Arabia instead of accepting Galatasaray’s advances.

Nigerian sports journalist and transfer insider Onyebuchi Onokala, also known as Buchi Laba, had disclosed that Napoli had previously rejected Galatasaray’s €75m bid despite it matching the official release clause figure.

However, sources close to the player have consistently maintained that he is not open to moving to Saudi Arabia and remains fully committed to continuing his career in Europe.

With no Premier League or LaLiga clubs coming forward with the release clause sum, the striker has opted to continue his career in Istanbul.

Premier League clubs appear to have cooled their interest in the striker. Arsenal are prioritising other targets, while Manchester United have shifted attention to Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, amid concerns about Osimhen’s wage demands. (PUNCH)