Victor Osimhen, the Nigerian striker, has reached an agreement to leave Napoli, the Serie A champions, and join Chelsea in the summer.
According to TEAMtalk, Osimhen, who is 25 years old and has a release clause of approximately £112m, will not make the move this month but is willing to sign a pre-agreement in January.
The report also mentions that former Chelsea players Didier Drogba and John Obi Mikel have been in regular contact with Osimhen, trying to convince him to join the London club. Chelsea has been actively seeking a top center-forward throughout the season, with Osimhen being their primary target. However, they are also interested in Ivan Toney, although his age and high asking price may pose obstacles to a potential move to Stamford Bridge.
Osimhen is open to an approach from Chelsea and would be content with a pre-agreement this month, which would make his move official in the summer. It is expected that there will be some movement in the coming weeks, as several sources in Italy believe this will be Osimhen’s last season with Napoli. Chelsea is under pressure to act swiftly, as more clubs are likely to compete for Osimhen’s signature in the summer transfer window.
If a deal is to be agreed this month, the only way it will happen is through a pre-agreement, as the Napoli star man will not be moving.
Osimhen recently signed a new deal with Napoli that includes a release clause of around £112m. Multiple sources in Italy anticipate some movement in the coming weeks and believe that this will be the forward’s last season with the Serie A champions. Chelsea is under pressure to act quickly, as more clubs are expected to join the race for Osimhen’s signature in the summer.
Mauricio Pochettino, the Chelsea boss, has been urging the board to add more experienced players to his young squad, and Osimhen would be one of the club’s highest-paid players if the move goes through in the summer.
