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Osimhen was unable to secure a place in Conte's squad for the friendly match, failing to even make the reserve bench
Napoli head coach Antonio Conte is clearly preparing for the upcoming season with the players he intends to count on for the coming season and in a recent pre-season friendly against KF Egnatia, named a squad that notably excluded star striker Victor Osimhen.
Conte leaves Osimhen out again
In his third pre-season match in charge of Napoli, Antonio Conte opted for a 3-4-2-1 formation against Albanian side KF Egnatia.
The lineup featured Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Natan, and Amir Rrahmani in a back three, with Walid Cheddira leading the attack. Cheddira, who scored seven goals during a loan spell with Frosinone in Serie A last season, was preferred over Osimhen, who was completely absent from the squad, failing to even make the bench.
Osimhen has been a key player for Napoli but this summer, the Nigeria international has been the subject of transfer rumours, leading to speculation about his future at the club.
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Osimhen's continued absence from pre-season fixtures suggests that Conte may be preparing for the possibility of starting the season without him, with Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku reportedly lined up as Osimhen’s replacement.
Napoli welcome back Euro 2024 stars
In addition to Cheddira, Conte's lineup included new signing Leonardo Spinazzola, who featured on one flank, while Pasquale Mazzocchi occupied the other. Midfield duties were handled by Stanislav Lobotka, who starred for Slovakia in the 2024 European Championship and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, providing stability and creativity in the centre of the pitch.
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Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, also recently returned from his EURO 2024 campaign with Georgia, was deployed alongside Matteo Politano in a more advanced role behind the striker as Conte tried to provide the attacking thrust Napoli needed in the absence of Osimhen.
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While a deal to Paris Saint-Germain has appeared close for most of the summer, Osimhen remains a Napoli player for the time being. Hence, Conte’s continued exclusion of the Nigerian striker and his rumoured communication with Lukaku raises concerns about what could happen if the Nigerian striker is unable to secure a Napoli exit this season.
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