Chelsea are set to land their number one target for the striker position, Victor Osimhen, after the Napoli man indicated he’s ready to sign a pre-agreement to join the West Londoners in the summer, as per TEAMTalk.
Mauricio Pochettino refused to sanction a big-money striker signing last summer, but has now identified his side’s need of an elite frontman.
The former Tottenham and PSG manager made Napoli star Osimhen his first-choice target, and the Blues have been putting the groundwork on a potential deal.
Chelsea’s hopes of signing the 25-year-old this month were dealt a severe blow when he penned a contract extension with Napoli, keeping him at the club until 2026. The new deal contains a release clause of around £112 million, as reported by TEAMTalk.
However, the report says that Osimhen is expected to leave Napoli in the summer and he’s now said ‘yes’ to joining Chelsea. The striker is even prepared to sign a pre-contract agreement this month to secure his move to Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.
The 25-year-old has been convinced to join the Blues following regular contact with Chelsea legends Didier Drogba and John Obi Mikel. The pair have convinced Osimhen to accept Chelsea’s project, according to TEAMtalk.
Victor Osimhen has earned cult hero status at Napoli, but there is a growing acceptance in Naples of the fact that this will be his final campaign at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Osimhen a key signing
Instead of signing an elite number nine last summer, Chelsea chose to keep faith in Nicolas Jackson, a £33 million signing from Villarreal. The Senegalese striker has delivered a decent tally of eight goals in his debut campaign at the club, but Chelsea know they need a world class striker if they’re to compete for trophies again.
Osimhen, the reigning African Player of the Year, was excellent throughout 2022-23 as he helped Napoli win a first league title since 1990. The Nigeria international has scored seven league goals in 13 appearances this season, with injuries curtailing his involvement.
If the deal goes through, Chelsea will have pulled off a major coup in signing Osimhen and he’ll form a new-look frontline alongside Christopher Nkunku next season.
