Chelsea have been credited with an interest in one of Europe's most feared marksmen this summer as they look to bolster their ranks ahead of the new Premier League season.
Chelsea's busy window so far
Though Enzo Maresca has only just arrived at Stamford Bridge in his new role as head coach, the club have been busy in the transfer market already.
They have signed Leicester City midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in a deal worth £30m, while they have also bolstered their backline with the arrival of the versatile Italian Renato Veiga.
At academy level, they have signed exciting attacking duo Omari Kellyman and Marc Guiu from Aston Villa and Barcelona respectively, but are looking to find a more senior option to lead the line for next season.
Chelsea target superstar striker
Now, it has been claimed that Chelsea are set to return for Nigerian star Victor Osimhen in the coming weeks, and are ready to offer two players to entice Napoli to seal a deal with the Blues.
Speaking over the weekend, Antonio Conte revealed that an 'agreement' was in place for Osimhen to leave Naples this summer should an offer come in, despite the Nigerian still having two years left to run on his £250,000 a week deal with the Serie A side.
“We are talking about Victor as a professional, an excellent, top player,” Conte explained.
Napoli star Victor Osimhen
“I spoke to him and he knows that absolutely nothing has changed. He belongs to Napoli and he knows that those who belong to Napoli have to work hard and have the right attitude, even if there is this sort of agreement, we still don’t know how it will end.
“He’s here with a smile, and what counts at the moment is the training this afternoon and the attitude with me and my colleagues.”
The Nigerian hitman has long been linked with Chelsea, and now Caught Offside claim that the Blues are set to follow up their interest once more as they look to land an upgrade on Nicolas Jackson, who was guilty of several high profile misses last season despite finding the net 14 times in his debut Premier League season.
Victor Osimhen vs Nicolas Jackson 23/24 domestic leagues
Victor Osimhen
Nicolas Jackson
Appearances
25
35
Goals
15
14
Expected goals
15.4
18.6
Assists
3
5
Min per goal/assist
110
147
Shots on target per 90
1.63
1.22
However, Maresca's side are keen to find a way around paying Osimhen's release clause, which is believed to sit at £113m.
To achieve this, caught offside claim that the Blues are "likely" to offer loanee pair Cesare Casadei and Romelu Lukaku to Napoli as "part of any potential deal".
It is added that Chelsea "hope to make some progress" on a deal for the Nigerian soon, but it is not clear whether Napoli will be keen to take on either of the Chelsea outcasts in exchange for their prized asset.
0 Comments