Real Madrid boss Ancellotti breaks silence on Osimhen transfer links

Carlo Ancelotti recently discussed the transfer rumors swirling around Napoli's forward, Victor Osimhen, and a potential move to Real Madrid.

Osimhen, who played a crucial role in ending Napoli's 33-year Italian Serie A drought, was rumored to be a candidate to replace Karim Benzema, who departed for Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad.

Benzema's move to the Middle East created an opportunity for Real Madrid to find a suitable successor, leading to speculation about several high-profile strikers, including Harry Kane, currently at Bayern Munich, and long-term target Kylian Mbappe.

Among them was the prolific Nigerian goal scorer, Osimhen, who clinched the Serie A's top scorer prize last season.

However, despite these rumors, Real Madrid has adapted well with their summer signing, Jude Bellingham, complementing the Brazilian duo of Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo in attack, GOAL reports.

When asked about the potential signing of Osimhen to fill Benzema's shoes, Ancelotti expressed admiration for the former LOSC Lille center forward but swiftly dismissed the links, citing Bellingham's arrival as a resolution to any concerns about the striker position.

“Osimhen is one of the best strikers in Europe but we never thought about him. With the arrival of Bellingham, we thought about compensating Benzema’s departure in other ways,” the experienced Italian manager said as quoted by MadridXtra.

Meanwhile, former Al-Nassr manager, Rudi Garcia, has drawn similarities between Osimhen and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Speaking about his experience working with the Nigerian talent, Garcia showered praises on his centre-forward while also drawing a comparison to the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.