Napoli are reportedly close to agreeing a new long-term contract with forward Victor Osimhen.

Ever since departing Lille for Naples in 2020, the Nigeria international has established himself as a modern-day legend at the Italian giants.

In total, 59 goals and 14 assists have come from just 101 appearances in all competitions, but 26 strikes in the 2022-23 Serie A campaign helped guide Napoli to their first top-flight crown in over three decades

However, in the months either side of that success, speculation has persisted regarding the 24-year-old’s contract, which is currently due to expire in 2025.

Osimhen has made no secret of the fact that he holds a desire to eventually move to the Premier League, where he is known to have a number of admirers

Manchester United and Chelsea have each been heavily linked with the frontman, as have the likes of Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain when they also require fresh faces for their attack.

Nevertheless, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has retained his firm stance over Osimhen’s future, insisting that only PSG have the financial firepower to tempt them into a sale.

With the Ligue 1 champions attracting proposals for Kylian Mbappe, there remains a possibility that they could make a substantial bid for a new high-profile striker in due course.

That said, according to Sky Sport Italia, Napoli never been close to agree

Discussions are said to have been held in recent days and the alleged next step is to finalise terms before a formal announcement.

The report suggests that a release clause of €150m (£128.5m) could be inserted in Osimhen’s contract, although Napoli were keen to push for a far higher buy-out option.

Although the length of a new deal is not specified, it is anticipated that it will be until at least 2027, possibly longer, with Napoli eager to strengthen their position.

Napoli have already generated a significant fee this summer through Kim Min-jae, who has signed for Bayern after the Bundesliga champions met his €50m release clause.