3 months ago
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Chelsea remain keen on a deal for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen but will only push ahead with a loan move, according to reports.
Napoli agreed to let Osimhen leave at the start of the summer transfer window but the club’s president, Aurelio de Laurentiis, had been holding out for a team to pay the striker’s €130m (£110.8m) release clause.
However, that figure has put off both Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, who have expressed an interest in signing Osimhen.
Chelsea appeared to be on course to sign a new striker after agreeing a €40m (£34.5m) deal with Atletico Madrid for Samu Omorodion.
However, Chelsea’s move for the 20-year-old collapsed over the weekend due to a disagreement over personal terms.
According to The Telegraph, Chelsea are keeping tabs on up to four different striker options – one of which includes Osimhen.
The report claims that Chelsea are interested in the Nigeria international but only if Napoli are willing to agree to an initial loan deal.
However, that may cause a potential issue as Osimhen’s agent, Roberto Calenda, has already hit back at suggestions that the striker could leave Napoli in a cut-price deal.
‘I’ve read about unfounded imaginary trades involving Victor, shipped around like a package ready for delivery,’ Calenda wrote on X last month.
‘But remember that this “package” is the top scorer of the third Scudetto in Naples’ history. Respect and no more fake news!’
Meanwhile, Napoli’s sporting director, Giovanni Manna, confirmed over the weekend that Osimhen is pushing to leave the club before the end of the window.
Speaking ahead of Napoli’s win against Modena in the Coppa Italia on Saturday, Manna said: ‘Victor Osimhen has asked to leave the club. He wants to go.
‘The situation is clear, there were already chances for his exit last summer. Victor wants to leave. We will see in the next 20 days.’
Manna travelled to London on Tuesday in order to finalise a deal with Chelsea for Romelu Lukaku, as well as an agreement with Brighton for Billy Gilmour.
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