The Nigerian youngster struggled to justify his huge transfer fee in his debut season in Italy, but he still did enough to convince the powers that be in Naples that he is the real deal

Napoli are preparing to offer Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen a contract extension that will tie the youngster to the club until the summer of 2025.

According to a report by Italian publication Il Corriere del Mezzogiorno as per CasaNapoli, Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has approved that Osimhen’s contract is extended by a year and his salary significantly increased.

A huge release clause is also expected to be inserted in the new contract.

Villarreal youngster Samuel Chukwueze, with an estimated market value of €20 million, has a €100 million release clause inserted in his latest contract with the Spanish side.

Osimhen, with double Chukwueze’s market value, could command a higher release clause.

Napoli hope that all these would discourage Europe’s biggest clubs from nursing an interest in the youngster or force a willing suitor to pay top dollar for his signature, says the report.

Osimhen joined Napoli from Lille last summer for a club-record fee, signing a four-year contract that would keep him in Naples until June 2024 with an annual salary of 4.5 million euros.

The 22-year-old struggled with injuries and the coronavirus infection during the first half of the season, but he bounced back impressively to net seven goals in his last 11 Serie A matches.