Chelsea have reignited their pursuit of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, set to offer Napoli two players plus cash to secure the deal.
Chelsea have been in pursuit of a striker throughout the summer and has intensified their efforts to acquire Osimhen after a potential deal for Atletico Madrid’s Samu Omorodion fell through at the eleventh hour.
Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Super Eagles forward Osimhen has expressed a desire to depart from Napoli, who are interested in bringing in Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku as his replacement.
In light of this, the Blues are exploring the option of including Lukaku as part of the deal to reduce Osimhen’s estimated asking price of around £100 million.
According to sources, Cesare Casadei is also being considered alongside Lukaku as part of the package to reduce Osimhen’s transfer fee.
The Sun reported that the Stamford Bridge club could end up paying just £39m for Osimhen, with Lukaku and Casadei moving in the other direction as part of the agreement.
Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Nigerian forward, who extended his contract with Napoli until 2026, is reportedly keen on a move to the English Premier League.
On the other hand, Lukaku is interested in joining Antonio Conte at Napoli, making this a potential win-win for all parties involved.
Antonio Conte eyeing reunion with Lukaku at Napoli as Chelsea look to offload striker
Napoli manager Antonio Conte is reportedly eager to reunite with Romelu Lukaku, whom he coached at Inter Milan, as the striker continues to train with Chelsea’s reserves while awaiting a resolution for his future.
Chelsea are determined to remove Lukaku’s hefty £325,000-a-week wages from their payroll and has been holding out for a £37m offer for the player. This amount could also impact negotiations for Victor Osimhen.
While Lukaku’s departure was expected, the fate of Casadei, a potential makeweight in the deal, remains uncertain.
The 21-year-old Italian was highly praised when he joined Chelsea under the Todd Boehly era but has struggled to fulfill his potential in England, despite promising performances in Inter Milan’s academy.
Casadei made 25 appearances in all competitions for the Foxes, who were managed by current Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca but has played just 11 times for Chelsea.
Victor Osimhen’s hefty wage demand threatens to derail Chelsea move
The Nigerian star reportedly signed a lucrative £211,000-a-week contract in December last year and is unwilling to reduce his salary.
Chelsea, on the other hand, have a strict wage structure, with only three players (Lukaku, Reece James, and Raheem Sterling) currently earning above £200,000-a-week.
It should be noted that all three of those contracts were agreed upon before the club implemented their new wage structure in late 2022.
As it stands, if Osimhen refuses to lower his salary, Chelsea will need to make an exception for him.
If the deal goes ahead, it will push Chelsea’s summer spending over £200 million.
What’s next?
As we anticipate the outcome of this transfer, Chelsea will kick start their 2024/25 Premier League campaign against defending Champions Manchester City on Sunday, August 18.
The match will take place at Chelsea’s home stadium, Stamford Bridge with kick off set at 15:30 GMT.
