Chelsea have not given up on Napoli striker Victor Osimhen despite Paris Saint-Germain’s pursuit of the 25-year-old ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
The West London club have been long-term admirers of the Nigeria star but their interest went quiet over recent weeks due to Napoli’s reluctance to sell below his €130m release clause.
Osimhen is expected to leave the Serie A club during the current transfer window and PSG are the main club pushing for his arrival. According to GOAL’s Marc Mechenoua, the Ligue 1 champions are in talks with Napoli over the striker as they try to reach a compromise on the player’s transfer fee.
Should they find a way to get the €130m fee decreased, Chelsea could step in and try and hijack the deal for the striker, as sources have told CaughtOffside that the Blues have not given up on the 25-year-old and are still interested in the Nigerian talent.
The Premier League club are aware that PSG are ahead of them in the race but the London club still believe they can get a deal done.
This is why Chelsea have yet to bid for any of their alternative targets.
The Blues will use the sales of Romelu Lukaku and Armando Broja to fund a move for Osimhen, with both forwards expected to depart Stamford Bridge before the new season gets underway.
Should Chelsea fail to win the race for Osimhen, the Premier League outfit also have their eyes on Borussia Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi and Hoffenheim’s Maximilian Beier.
Dortmund have placed a price tag of around €40m on the German star, while Hoffenheim could demand around €35m/€40m for their 21-year-old forward.
Aston Villa are also monitoring Beier’s situation as Unai Emery is a big admirer of the Hoffenheim star. The Birmingham club have already held talks with the Bundesliga club over a move for the player, however, no official proposal has been submitted.
Sources have told CaughtOffside that Chelsea also have information about the conditions of a deal for RC Lens’ Elye Wahi, should they miss out on Osimhen. The 21-year-old is a player that has caught the eye of the Blues and it is a talent they could move for at a later time.
The main target remains Osimhen, but a deal for the Nigerian striker will be difficult for the Premier League club to pull off.
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