Liverpool offer Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa as part of exchange deal to sign 26-year-old striker: Reports

Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing Napoli striker Victor Osimhen this summer and have offered Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa as part of an exchange deal. However, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis wants both players, as well as £17 million, to strike a deal, according to Italian journalist Valter De Maggio.

Victor Osimhen has established himself as one of the best forwards in Europe since joining Napoli in 2020. The Nigeria international helped the club win the 2022-23 Serie A title. However, following a failed transfer to Al-Ahli last summer, Osimhen was exiled from Napoli's squad ahead of the 2024-25 season, leading to his season-long loan to Galatasaray.

The 26-year-old excelled at Galatasaray, recording 37 goals and eight assists in 41 appearances across all competitions, helping the Turkish outfit win two trophies.

However, Osimhen doesn't appear to have a future at Napoli and is available on the market, with his release clause reportedly set at £64 million. Following the acquisitions of Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, Liverpool are reportedly keen on signing Osimhen in exchange for Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa (h/t @LFCTransferRoom on X).

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Unfortunately for Liverpool, Napoli are allegedly making no discounts on Osimhen's release clause. De Laurentiis reportedly wants Chiesa, Nunez, and £17 million to make a deal.

In addition, the Reds have also been linked with Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike this summer as they look to bolster their attack.

How did Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa fare last season for Liverpool?

After failing to impress Arne Slot last season, both Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa have been linked with exits from Liverpool this summer. Napoli are reportedly interested in signing both attackers, so let's take a look at how they performed during the 2024-25 campaign.

Nunez struggled to retain his position in the starting XI, with Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota ahead in the pecking order. The 25-year-old was also wasteful in front of goal, garnering seven goals and seven assists in 47 appearances across all competitions.

In comparison, Chiesa also struggled for game time and his fitness, missing 14 games in total due to a muscle injury. The Italy international played a total of just 466 minutes, scoring two goals and providing two assists in 14 appearances across competitions.

About the author

Silas has been a European and international football writer at Sportskeeda for 2 years. A Computer Applications graduate, he is a versatile writer who conducts in-depth research and verifies information from multiple sources to ensure complete accuracy in his articles. Silas was introduced to the beautiful game back in 2008, watching the Premier League on television.

Silas is a Liverpool supporter through and through and admires everything about the club – it’s history, culture, style of play, and all of its iconic players and managers. His favorite player is Steven Gerrard, who was also one of the primary reasons to get interested in football and support Liverpool.

Unsurprisingly, his favorite manager is Jurgen Klopp, who transformed the Reds from a mid-table club to Premier League champions. Liverpool’s fourth goal in their 4-0 win over Barcelona, scored by Divock Origi after the iconic ‘corner taken quickly’ moment from Trent Alexander-Arnold, holds a special place in Silas’ heart.

Apart from Europe’s top five leagues, he also follows Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League. When not writing, he indulges in reading, traveling, fitness and gaming.

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Edited by Silas Sud