Chelsea agree to pay Osimhen's release clause

Carlo Garganese

• 24 Jan 2024 11:50 GMT
• 3 min read

Chelsea have decided to pay Victor Osimhen’s release clause in order to bring the Napoli striker to the club this summer.

That is according to Gazzetta dello Sport, who report on Wednesday that Chelsea have agreed to pay the €120-130 million clause in Osimhen’s new Napoli deal that is activated this summer.

FootballTransfers understands that Osimhen has decided to leave Napoli at the end of the campaign.

The Nigerian virtually admitted that he will depart the Partenopei earlier this week in an interview with CBS.

"At the end of the season, I think I already made up my mind,” Osimhen said. “I already know what I wanna do with my career, since I've started, I've been the one taking my own decision and everything is working out well for me. Even though when I started it, it didn't go so well as planned.

“But I already have my plan, I already know what I want to do, the next step I want to take. So for now I just want to finish the season strong, go relax somewhere with my daughter, and then finally come up with the decision I've already made."

Chelsea have made the signing of a top-class striker their number one priority in 2024.

Osimhen also has interest from a number of other Premier League and European clubs, including Arsenal.

The 24-year-old has seen his relationship with Napoli sour this season, following the TikTok scandal in which the club’s own social media team mocked his penalty miss with Bologna.

Osimhen has had a stop-start season on the pitch, while Napoli have endured a disastrous defence of the Scudetto they won last season and are currently ninth in Serie A.

Osimhen in 2022-23 for Napoli

Osimhen enjoyed a stunning 2022-23 season, scoring a brilliant 31 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions.

With 26 Serie A goals, he finished the top scorer in the Italian top-flight as Napoli won their first Scudetto in 33 years.

He also struck five times in the Champions League as Napoli reached the quarter-finals before being beaten 2-1 on aggregate by AC Milan.

Osimhen’s absence due to injury in the first leg has been cited as a key reason why Napoli lost the tie.