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Newcastle United are reportedly ready to sign Napoli forward Victor Osimhen on a record-breaking fee of £84 million.
The 23-year-old has found himself on the radar of several clubs, and could make a move away from the Estadio San Paolo next summer. According to a report by Napoli Calcio (as per Sport Witness), Newcastle are reportedly at the front of the queue, and could smash their transfer record to land Osimhen.
Eddie Howe has reportedly identified the Nigeria international as his number one target, but the club might have to ward off competition from Manchester United.
Osimhen has shone brightly since joining Napoli in a mega transfer worth £74 million, making him the most expensive African player in history. The former Wolfsburg man made a name for himself when he won the Golden Boot in Nigeria's successful campaign at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2015.
He has since grown into one of the most important players for the Partenopei. Osimhen has scored 21 goals and provided seven assists in 52 games across competitions for Napoli. That includes 11 goals and four assists in 22 games this campaign.
Newcastle United's mega takeover could restore club's glory days
Newcastle United became the latest club to be owned by Arab Royalty when they were bought in a deal worth £300 million last year. At the time, the Magpies were in dire straits and were firm candidates for relegation, but their season has since taken an upward trajectory.
The winter transfer window saw the club dig deep into their coffers to bring in experienced campaigners like Kieran Tripper and Bruno Guimares.
They also brought in Chris Wood, Dan Burn and Matt Targett who have the experience of relegation scraps.
The net result is that Newcastle are currently on a seven-game unbeaten run that has seen them surge up the Premier League table. The Tyne outfit had just 11 points midway through the campaign, and were five points from safety. However, they currently sit in 14th spot, and are four points clear of the dropzone, highlighting the progress they have made in the last few months.
With the club on their way to extending their stay in the top-flight, attention could turn to restoring the glory days back to St James' Park. The arrival of Osimhen could be the first step towards achieving that.
