Chelsea transfers: PSG clear path for Blues to sign Victor Osimhen but issues remain over 'blocked' €100m deal (original) (raw)

Chelsea have been left as the only club in the race to sign Victor Osimhen this summer after TEAMtalk learned PSG have now backed away from a deal, but the Blues still have big hurdles to overcome following a major update from a Napoli director.

A new era at Stamford Bridge officially got underway on Sunday as Enzo Maresca saw his new Chelsea side fail to flatten the juggernaut that is reigning champions Manchester City. And while the Blues know they won’t meet a side as strong as City every week, there were a few promising signs of what is to come under their new Italian coach.

However, as Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp pointed out at full-time, Chelsea still have a couple of major gaps in their side to fill stating that: “Despite spending all that money, Chelsea don’t have a striker and I’m not even sure they have a good goalkeeper to call upon either.”

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Indeed, Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali and their BlueCo co-owners have spent some £1.2bn on transfers so far since taking charge at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2022 – and will clearly now want to start seeing a return for their investments.

While the signing of a new goalkeeper this summer has been done – the Blues paying Villarreal an initial fee of £20.7m for Filip Jorgensen – they are yet to get a new top-class striker through the doors.

That is not for a lack of trying, however, and over the last week, hope has been rekindled that a blockbuster deal for Napoli powerhouse Osimhen could be back on the cards once again.

Victor Osimhen transfer: PSG back out of potential deal

The Nigerian is quite regarded as one of the best in the business, having scored an impressive 76 goals in 133 appearances for Napoli since arriving from Lille in August 2020.

And while the new contract he signed last season saw his release clause climb to a staggering €120m (£102.2m), Napoli are now willing to negotiate on that and are willing to discuss a deal in the region of €100m (£85.2m).

Indeed, those hopes have escalated in recent days with Gli Azzurri also willing to negotiate a possible swap deal, with unwanted Blues stars Romelu Lukaku, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Cesare Casadei among those they have expressed an interest in.

Another hurdle that had presented itself to Chelsea was that of rival interest from the likes of both Arsenal and PSG.

However, with the Gunners now unlikely to sign a new striker, instead pinning their faith in Kai Havertz, who could get a more central role this season, there was always a lingering fear that PSG – fresh from losing Kylian Mbappe this summer – could launch a mammoth move of their own to sign Osimhen.

Now, though, information obtained by TEAMtalk correspondent Fraser Gillan has revealed that PSG are now ‘evaluating other options’ after learning that Osimhen only wants a move to Stamford Bridge this summer.

Gillan wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “PSG are aware Osimhen wants Chelsea, evaluating other options. CFC working on trying to get a deal for the striker across the line.”

However, TEAMtalk also understands that there is much talking to be done between the clubs before a deal can get over the line. As a result, there is a fear that these talks could well go to the wire as the Blues look to strike a deal with the 2023 Serie A champions.

Napoli chief admits Osimhen transfer remains ‘blocked’

For a deal to go through, Chelsea will likely need Lukaku to accept a permanent move to Naples and to do that, the Belgian must take a hefty hit on his current £200,000 a week salary, which still has two years left to run.

Napoli’s top earner is indeed Osimhen on a similar fee, though the Italian side want to offer the 31-year-old a much smaller wage.

Providing an update on the saga, Napoli’s sporting director Giovanni Manna admits there is a lot of walk to do if all parties are to get the deal over the line.

“I will not talk about the players who are not part of the Napoli squad,” Manna said. “You all know full well the Osimhen situation was already there when I arrived and will be dealt with exclusively by the club.

“I did not get into the situation. You all know that the transfer market is very complicated and [the deal is] currently blocked. I cannot say any more than that.”

Manna, though, has confirmed that Osimhen is pushing to leave, though is adamant a solution is far from easy, as he explained to Sky Italia correspondent Gianluca Di Marzio: “It’s an objective fact, what the coach said, the situation is blocked. Victor is an important player, with an important value and conditions. His desire is clear. We tried to maintain the integrity of the squad at this moment. We are not the only club in this situation and we’ll see what happens over the next 10 days.

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“At this time, it is not right to say what sensations there are. We are working with his entourage to find the best solution. As we said, he is an important player, so it’s not that we can just find him anywhere [to play].

“He is under contract for another two seasons, so clearly if we don’t find a solution by August 30, we’ll have to talk to the player.”

Chelsea’s cause, is however, aided by former stars John Obi Mikel and Didier Drogba; both of whom who are trying to do their best to help grease the transfer wheels over a move by regularly texting Osimhen.