In a major setback for Chelsea in their quest to sign Napoli forward Victor Osimhen, the Blues have reportedly suffered a significant blow.
Chelsea has been busy in the summer transfer window, bringing in Tosin Adarabioyo, Caleb Wiley, Omari Kellyman, Filip Jorgensen, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Renato Veiga. They have also bolstered their attacking options with the addition of Spain Under-19 international Marc Guiu from Barcelona.
Despite Guiu’s impressive performances in pre-season, Chelsea is on the lookout for an established forward to compete with Nicolas Jackson. The club has been heavily linked with a move for Napoli’s Osimhen, who has a release clause of around £110m.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has previously stated that he will not entertain any offers below Osimhen’s release clause. However, reports emerged suggesting that talks were being held between Napoli and Chelsea for a potential loan deal involving Romelu Lukaku.
Osimhen’s agent dismissed the idea of a loan move, but rumors continue to swirl about a possible switch to Stamford Bridge. However, according to Corriere dello Sport, Osimhen is not enthusiastic about joining Enzo Maresca’s side, dealing a blow to Chelsea’s hopes of securing the 25-year-old forward.
The report indicates that Napoli has not received any concrete offers, casting doubt on whether Osimhen will depart from the Serie A club this summer.
While Arsenal has been linked with Osimhen in the past, they are currently not actively pursuing a move and are focusing on other attacking targets. Paris Saint-Germain is viewed as Chelsea’s main competitor for Osimhen, as they look to add firepower to their front line following Kylian Mbappe’s departure.
However, PSG may need to offload either Goncalo Ramos or Randal Kolo Muani before they can make a serious bid for Osimhen. The Nigerian striker has been part of Napoli’s pre-season training camp but has not featured in any of the club’s friendly matches as he prepares for a potential transfer.
