Chelsea chiefs are apparently considering a late swoop to sign a £45 million alternative to Napoli star Victor Osimhen, who has been subject to intense speculation over last-gasp move to west London.
Chelsea could still sign Victor Osimhen before summer deadline day
Since the end of last month, Chelsea have held talks with Napoli over a move for Osimhen, and this possible blockbuster transfer is heavily tied in with Romelu Lukaku’s future.
Lukaku has already agreed a three-year contract and pay-cut to join Napoli, so he can reunite with Antonio Conte in Italy and return to Serie A – a division which has been a real stomping ground for the Belgian in recent years.
While there is no scenario of a straight swap deal involving Osimhen and Lukaku, according to reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, it could seemingly be a one-in, one-out situation where both Napoli and Chelsea orchestrate separate deals for their top striker targets.
“We know that Lukaku has an agreement with Napoli for a three-year contract, the salary is okay and the player is already talking with Antonio Conte. He wants to go to Napoli, but work is still ongoing,” wrote Romano on the Osimhen and Lukaku saga last week.
| Victor Osimhen’s Serie A Statistics 2023/24 | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 25 |
| Goals | 15 |
| Assists | 3 |
| Shots Per 90 | 3.86 |
| Key Passes Per 90 | 1.05 |
| Successful Take-Ons Per 90 | 0.73 |
| via WhoScored | |
“During these conversations I can tell you, once again, that Chelsea told Napoli clearly that they have Victor Osimhen on their list and they want to make a move for him, but as of now, Chelsea have still not presented a contract proposal to the player.
“So, I would say we are still at the early stages of the Osimhen story, but at the advanced stages of the Lukaku story.
“As I always told you, Osimhen will not go on loan and will not reduce his salary from €11m net, so Chelsea still need to do some work on the player side before saying ‘okay, we are now at the key stages of the Osimhen story.”
While there is still a possibility that Chelsea could strike one of the biggest deals of the summer window for Osimhen, it could also fall through, so club chiefs are believed to be weighing up an alternative.
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