Last summer it seemed like it was all set for Victor Osimhen to make his way to Stamford Bridge. The transfer was near the finish line but got tripped up at the last minute due to complications over wages according to insider Si Phillips.
The failed move unsettled Osimhen at Napoli and he was sent on loan to Galatasaray while the Italian club brought in former Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku to replace him. There are reports now that Chelsea are back in the race for the Nigerian star but they will be facing stiff competition from other clubs in the Premier League, most notably Manchester United.
According to Caught Offside, Osimhen’s €75 million release clause and wages of around £100k a week are not going to put off United but might scare off Chelsea from further pursuit. United are in an even bigger crisis than Chelsea at the moment and are mired in mid-table mediocrity.
They have failed in their recent striker purchases with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee combining for just 6 goals in the Premier League this season. Their desperation, along with Chelsea’s current distaste for signing players older than 23, could help United pip the Blues for Osimhen’s signature.
We hope that is not the case as we believe Osimhen is the best striker option on the market for a number of reasons. He has a long track record of banging in goals with 76 in 133 appearances for Napoli and an absurd 26 goals in 31 appearances for Galatasaray so far this season.
This is a more appealing option than a young striker like Liam Delap who has not been as productive or Benjamin Sesko who is excellent but also doesn’t have the track record of success like Osimhen. There is no guarantee that either of these two stars, or Osimhen for that matter, would bang in goals for Chelsea with ease but there is more evidence to support the Napoli’s striker case as a world class player.
If Chelsea do sign Victor Osimhen they should probably avoid the number 9 shirt:
The Nigerian star would also be considerably cheaper than Alexander Isak who are reportedly looking for £125 million and that is even if they are willing to sell. Any transfer saga with Newcastel would likely be long and arduous as they will probably not want to strengthen a domestic rival.
Osimhen is also just 26 years old and his time at Napoli is almost certainly done and dusted. He is unsettled at the club and clearly does not see a future there so it would be easier to convince him to move to Chelsea versus someone like Isak who may see a brighter future at Newcastle.
There are still many obstacles to overcome before a move for Osimhen could be completed but Chelsea will likely have to get into a bidding war with United and perhaps other Premier League clubs as well. This might scare the Blues off their target but they should do all they can to bring Osimhen to Chelsea.