Chelsea 'not planning Victor Osimhen transfer' as Enzo Maresca lines up three players

Chelsea’s striker pursuit will not involve a bid for £111million-rated Napoli forward Victor Osimhen, according to reports. Enzo Maresca wants three key positions boosted as a matter of priority this summer, requiring the Blues to spend wisely and avoid blowing their entire budget on one player.

Osimhen is a star worth splashing out on, having hit double figures in 2023/24 for the sixth consecutive league season. But Napoli have made sure his services won’t come cheap by inserting a nine-figure release clause into his contract.

Despite Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis openly admitting that Osimhen will leave the club this summer, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claims that a move for the Nigerian is not being worked on at Chelsea.

The Londoners, led by incoming manager Maresca, are expected to go after a striker but they may prioritise a more affordable option in order to free up funds for other areas in need of attention.

Reports indicate that Maresca wants to bring in three key signings this summer – a striker, a left-back and a goalkeeper. In terms of Osimhen alternatives, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Brentford star Ivan Toney have both been linked with moves to Stamford Bridge.

Manchester United and Arsenal are both believed to be interested in Osimhen, who De Laurentiis claimed would head to either Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain or the Premier League.

But Chelsea’s lack of interest may come as something of a blow to the player, given he has openly admitted to ‘dreaming’ of playing in England’s top flight after watching Blues legend Didier Drogba while growing up.

Maresca is set to make room for a new striker signing by offloading two of the club’s current forwards. Armando Broja and Romelu Lukaku ended last season on loan at Fulham and AS Roma respectively, and it seems likely that neither will play for Chelsea again.

The Blues want £30m for Broja, who couldn’t find his way into the Fulham side due to Rodrigo Muniz’s red-hot scoring form, and £38m for Lukaku, who was amongst the goals for Roma but may not have long left at the top level after turning 31 earlier this month.

Chelsea are keen to sell Broja by June 30 – the deadline for clubs to meet Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) – as they weigh up interest from England, Italy, Germany and France.