Juventus have cooled their interest in Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who has been linked with a move to Manchester United, and are now setting their sights on Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman, National Daily Newspaper reports.
Initially seen as a prime candidate to replace Serbian forward Dusan Vlahovic—who is expected to leave the Turin club this summer—Osimhen is no longer considered a viable option for the Bianconeri.
Despite his status as one of Europe’s top strikers, Napoli have made it clear they will not entertain offers from domestic rivals, particularly Juventus, in an effort to avoid a repeat of the backlash that followed Gonzalo Higuain’s controversial move from Naples to Turin in 2016.
Further complicating the potential transfer, Osimhen’s reported €70 million release clause is only applicable to foreign clubs, putting Italian suitors like Juventus at a disadvantage.
Napoli’s sporting director Giovanni Manna is currently engaged in discussions with Manchester United regarding a possible Premier League switch for Osimhen.
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A potential deal could also involve Danish forward Rasmus Hojlund moving in the opposite direction to Naples.
With negotiations around Osimhen proving increasingly difficult, Juventus have turned to Ademola Lookman.
The 27-year-old Nigerian international has had an impressive season with Atalanta and has long been on Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli’s radar.
Lookman’s name was reportedly discussed earlier this year during a dinner meeting between Giuntoli and Atalanta’s sporting director Tony D’Amico, following a match between the two clubs.
As the summer transfer window approaches, Juventus appear poised to step up their interest in Lookman, who offers a dynamic and versatile attacking option more attainable than Osimhen under the current circumstances.