Chelsea have been linked to Napoli star striker Victor Osimhen on and off again throughout the summer 2024 window, and it appears the links to the Nigerian No. 9 may be heating up in the days before the window ends.
That’s largely been the strategy taken by Chelsea and London rivals Arsenal, who are also keen on the 2022/23 Capocannoniere winner as a proven goal-scoring upgrade to help both sides reach their goals.
Arsenal believe they are a great scoring 9 away from winning the Premier League, while Chelsea may legitimately be a player like Osimhen away from returning to title contention in their own right.
Chelsea already put six past Wolves with Nicolas Jackson bagging a brace and Noni Madueke a hat trick, so imagine what they could achieve with a full-strength Osimhen leading the line with Christopher Nkunku and Cole Palmer making plays behind him.
Signing Osimhen has been seen as onerously difficult because of the more than 100 million euros Napoli are requesting, as well as the 25-year-old’s own mega-wages.
According to a report from Kaveh Solhekol of Sky Sports, Chelsea are back in transfer negotiations with Napoli over a Victor Osimhen transfer, and while a signing is “difficult”, the Blues reportedly may be under “more favorable” conditions to complete a transfer.
Perhaps part of the encouraging nature of the talks stems from Chelsea selling striker Romelu Lukaku to Napoli, which, in theory, makes it both easier for Napoli to sell Osimhen and more likely to have to grant the Nigerian striker’s request for a new challenge.
Chelsea have been right in the thick of the transfer battle from the beginning despite a cool-off period, playing their cards right and waiting until the transfer window’s final days for Napoli to finally reduce their sky-high price for the talented but injury-prone striker.
It may still be difficult for Chelsea to acquire Osimhen, but aside from Arsenal and maybe PSG, there isn’t all that much competition for Todd Boehly to worry about if this is the player he wants to seal the 2024/25 project.
