Chelsea target stunning January transfer for Osimhen - and he WANTS the move
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 26 Nov 2023 21:19 GMT
- 3 min read
Chelsea are ready to launch a January transfer offensive for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen – and the Nigeria international is ready to push for a deal.
The Telegraph reports that Osimhen is the Blues' absolute priority for the forthcoming transfer window, with Osimhen expected “to be open to a move to Stamford Bridge”.
FootballTransfers exclusively revealed in September that Chelsea were pushing hard for Osimhen and were ahead of Arsenal in the race to sign the hitman.
Although Nicolas Jackson has scored six goals in 12 Premier League appearances for Chelsea, there are still doubts about the overall quality of the Senegal international forward, who arrived from Villarreal in the summer.
Osimhen is seen as the answer to their problems in the centre-forward role, with the 24-year-old having scored 26 goals in 32 appearances in Serie A as Napoli won the Scudetto last season.
He now has just 18 months left on his contract and talks have been at a standstill for several weeks.
Napoli have reiterated their desire to retain the Nigerian, but they will likely be forced into a sale by the summer at the latest. It is unthinkable for the club that he would leave as a free agent in the summer of 2025.
Despite the contract impasse, which has not been helped by a TikTok scandal that Osimhen claimed to racially abuse and mock him, he will still command a handsome fee.
What is Osimhen worth?
Napoli had previously talked about the player becoming the most expensive in football history, and president Aurelio De Laurentiis joked he "might" sell Osimhen for €500 million to the Saudi Pro League. But given the context of their situation that is no longer a realistic prospect.
Instead, Osimhen could break the Premier League record, which was set last January when Chelsea signed Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for €121 million. His price tag is certainly expected to exceed €100m.
FootballTransfers’ Player Valuation Model gives Osimhen an expected transfer value of €79m, with the maximum estimate just under the €100m mark.
Napoli are likely to resist a move until the summer at least, with the club seeking to mount a defence of their title. They presently lie fourth in the Serie A standings, with Rudi Garcia having been replaced by Walter Mazzarri after a disappointing start to the season.
Osimhen, meanwhile, has six goals in 11 appearances and is just fit after a hamstring injury.
