Victor Osimhen remains with Napoli following the closure of the European transfer window, despite Chelsea’s efforts to sign him, a player they’ve long been interested in.
Chelsea have pursued Osimhen over several transfer windows and made another attempt to bring him to Stamford Bridge this summer.
The striker has an impressive record, scoring 76 goals in 133 appearances for Napoli, playing a crucial role in their Serie A title win two years ago, and netting 21 goals in 35 appearances for Nigeria.
Chelsea were eager to secure Osimhen as a potential solution to the mixed performances of Nicolas Jackson, who joined from Villarreal for £32m last summer. Despite Jackson scoring in Chelsea’s recent 6-2 victory over Wolves, doubts linger over his finishing ability, which was inconsistent throughout the 2023-24 season….
Continue ReadingOsimhen, known for his clinical finishing, surprisingly remained with Napoli after the transfer window closed.
Chelsea continued negotiations with Napoli on deadline day, with a delegation in Naples hoping to finalize the deal.
However, Chelsea were unsuccessful in landing their long-term target, largely because Osimhen did not lower his wage demands enough to meet Chelsea’s offer.
Reports indicate that Chelsea offered Osimhen a contract of €155,000 per week, which is less than his current salary at Napoli.
Osimhen, who also attracted interest from Arsenal and clubs in Saudi Arabia, was unwilling to accept the pay cut despite his reported desire to move to the Premier League.
As a result, Chelsea’s representatives left Naples disappointed on Friday evening, with relations between the parties reportedly “completely broken,” according to Fabrizio Romano.
The deal for Osimhen fell through as Chelsea shifted their focus to Manchester United’s Jadon Sancho.
Chelsea sensed an opportunity to sign Sancho late in the transfer window and reached an agreement with Manchester United shortly before the deadline.
Arsenal also considered a move for Osimhen as an upgrade to current striker Kai Havertz but ultimately decided not to pursue an official offer.
With the non-European transfer window still open for a few more days, Saudi club Al-Ahli might still secure a deal for Osimhen.
While they reached an agreement with Napoli last week, Osimhen has so far been reluctant to move there, though this stance could change now that a move to England is off the table.
According to L’Equipe, Osimhen has informed Napoli that he is no longer willing to play for them after missing out on a Premier League move, essentially going on strike.
On deadline day, former England star Jamie Redknapp commented that Osimhen would have been “perfect” for the Premier League.
‘He’s been fantastic for Napoli, certainly a couple of years ago when they won the league,’ Redknapp told Sky Sports.
‘With Chelsea, you just don’t know, they’ve got Jackson there but It feels like they haven’t quite got the trust in him.
‘I would love to see Osimhen in the Premier League, I think he’d be perfect for it, his qualities – they would be ideal.’
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