According to Football.london, Chelsea are reportedly nearing a high-profile deal for Victor Osimhen that could see two players moving to Napoli in exchange.
The Blues have been seeking a new No. 9 all summer and have intensified their efforts to secure Osimhen after their pursuit of Atletico Madrid's Samu Omorodion fell through.
Osimhen, 25, has requested to leave Napoli, who are interested in signing Romelu Lukaku as his replacement. Chelsea are aiming to use Lukaku as leverage to reduce Osimhen's £100 million asking price.
In addition to Lukaku, midfielder Cesare Casadei is also reportedly part of the negotiations. According to The Sun, Chelsea might end up paying around £39 million for Osimhen, with Lukaku and Casadei moving to Napoli as part of the deal.
Napoli's manager, Antonio Conte, is eager to reunite with Lukaku, who previously played under him at Inter Milan. Lukaku is currently training with Chelsea's reserves while awaiting resolution on his future.
Chelsea are keen to offload Lukaku's £325,000-a-week wages but have been seeking a £37 million offer, a figure likely used to negotiate Osimhen's fee down. While Lukaku's potential departure is expected, Casadei's inclusion in the deal is less anticipated.
The 21-year-old Italian was one of the first signings during the Todd Boehly era and was expected to make a significant impact at Stamford Bridge. Although he impressed in Inter Milan's academy and was once regarded as potentially "better than Nicolo Barella" by Maurizio Viscidi, he has struggled to meet expectations at Chelsea, with limited appearances and loan stints in the Championship.
His involvement in the Osimhen deal suggests Chelsea's hopes for him to become a top player may have waned. Despite a mid-season recall from a loan spell at Leicester, where he made 25 appearances, and praise from former boss Mauricio Pochettino for his "great potential," Casadei appears to be on his way out as Chelsea looks to make room for new arrivals.
Lukaku and Napoli have agreed on personal terms, with Lukaku accepting a significant pay cut. However, Osimhen is reportedly unwilling to reduce his £211,000-a-week salary, which could complicate matters given Chelsea's current wage structure, where only three players (Lukaku, Reece James, and Raheem Sterling) earn over £200,000 per week.
Should the deal proceed, Chelsea's summer spending will exceed £200 million and, under Boehly, the club will have spent a remarkable £1.13 billion on players in just over two years. PSG and Arsenal are also keeping an eye on the situation and could potentially challenge Chelsea for Osimhen's signature.
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