Chelsea FC is making significant strides in their pursuit of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, as discussions with Napoli continue to progress.
While Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal have shown interest in the former Wolfsburg star, neither club has been able to meet Napoli's hefty asking price of €130 million. Chelsea, however, is moving closer to a deal after a potential transfer for Samu Omorodion from Atletico Madrid fell through, reigniting their focus on Osimhen.
Reports from the Scottish Sun indicate that Chelsea is nearing completion of an £85 million package for Osimhen, which includes a player-swap deal. The offer reportedly consists of Romelu Lukaku and former Leicester City midfielder Cesare Casadei, along with an additional £39 million to secure the transfer.
Antonio Conte, eager to bolster his squad before the transfer window closes at the end of the month, is keen on signing Lukaku. Meanwhile, Osimhen is reportedly open to a move to London, provided the deal is permanent.
Chelsea's billionaire owner, Todd Boehly, has already invested £152 million this summer, bringing in talents like Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Guiu, Pedro Neto, and Jorgensen. Since Boehly took over, the club has spent a staggering £1.114 billion on new players.
With the Omorodion deal off the table, head coach Enzo Maresca is on the hunt for another striker to complement Nicolas Jackson, and Osimhen appears to be the ideal candidate. However, the proposed swap deal would mean a substantial financial loss for Chelsea, as Lukaku and Casadei were originally acquired for a combined £114.5 million. Lukaku's £97.5 million transfer from Inter Milan in 2021 was one of the largest in Premier League history.
Chelsea is also motivated to offload Lukaku due to his hefty weekly wage of £325,000. His departure would free up approximately £17 million from the club's books, offering some financial relief as they continue to reshape their squad.
