Premier League side Chelsea are reportedly still keen on signing Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen.
According to CaughtOffside, football transfer guru Fabrizio Romano disclosed in his latest Daily Briefing, that Chelsea are determined to sign the Napoli loanee. However, he said there is nothing concrete yet.
“I’m aware there continue to be plenty of stories about Victor Osimhen’s future after a crazy summer that saw him make the surprise move to Galatasaray despite the strong interest from Chelsea and other clubs,” Romano was quoted as saying on Sunday.
“I’ve been asked about reports on Osimhen possibly moving for just £40m this January, with Chelsea said to be working on this deal behind the scenes.
“However, I can honestly say that nothing is happening now regarding Osimhen. I’ve said many times recently that Chelsea’s interest remains and they still like the player, but there are no negotiations ongoing and it would be disrespectful for Galatasaray as they paid important money to land Osimhen on loan.
“So it’s all quiet for now, and once we get closer to January we will see the developments.”
Osimhen joined Turkish champions Galatasaray on loan till the end of the season, after his intended move to Chelsea failed during the last summer transfer window.
It is not clear whether the Blues will return for the 25-year-old in January or wait until next summer, but the latter appears to be the most likely of the two scenarios.
Chelsea could probably still do with a striker of Osimhen’s calibre, even if Nicolas Jackson has started the new campaign brightly, while Cole Palmer is also showing himself to be a reliable source of goals.
Meanwhile, also on Sunday, Area Napoli referenced a post by Nigerian journalist Buchi Laba on X, saying Chelsea had wanted a pre-agreement with the reigning African player of the year for a move in January but it was rejected.
“Chelsea wanted a pre-agreement with Osimhen for January 2025, but it was rejected before he arrived at Galatasaray. They called Napoli to make a deal in January. They are 100% willing to pay him the salary he wants. But it’s impossible. He’s staying at Galatasaray for the whole season,” it said.
“In light of this, the Nigerian will remain in Turkey until the end of the season , Chelsea will have to try again in the next summer market, the release clause is around 80 million euros.
The Nigerian journalist then added: “The sad thing about this story between Victor Osimhen and Chelsea is the Chelsea fans! Many have insulted him and called him out, but the same player you are insulting is still wanted by your club. They know they made a mistake, but they are willing to make amends for Maresca, but for now it is out of the question.”
