Chelsea are actively pursuing a potential deal with Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, despite previous reports suggesting they were exploring other attacking options, as per PUNCH Sports Extra.
The Napoli president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, has indicated Osimhen’s impending departure, despite the player signing a contract extension until 2026 last year. His contract reportedly includes a release clause of approximately £113m, which could be triggered by an interested party in the near future, leaving Napoli with little control.
Leading contenders for Osimhen’s signature are Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Arsenal, with Arsenal unlikely to meet the high valuation set by Napoli.
Recent reports suggested that Chelsea’s new manager, Enzo Maresca, may not see Osimhen as a perfect fit for his tactics, preferring a striker who can participate in build-up play rather than just a traditional target man.
Chelsea’s pursuit of Osimhen may face obstacles due to concerns over potentially breaching financial regulations, especially as the player has been earmarked as a successor to Kylian Mbappe at PSG.
Despite previous doubts, Chelsea is reportedly continuing their efforts to persuade the 25-year-old striker to join Stamford Bridge, albeit with gradual progress in the negotiations.
PSG’s interest in Osimhen is widely known, but they have yet to submit a formal bid for the player, awaiting a potential shift in Napoli’s stance on the valuation.
In a twist, Napoli, now managed by Antonio Conte, is reportedly interested in acquiring Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea as a replacement for Osimhen.
Chelsea is open to offloading Lukaku, whom they re-signed for a substantial fee but has not met expectations, potentially selling him for a reduced price of £37m this summer in a bid to mitigate financial losses.
If the Lukaku deal falls through, Napoli is exploring other striker options, with Artem Dovbyk from Girona and Santiago Gimenez from Feyenoord being considered.