Chelsea get green light for Victor Osimhen transfer as 'issues' complicate Saudi deal

Chelsea may have just been given the green light to press forward with plans to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen on transfer deadline day, with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli focusing their efforts on Brentford’s Ivan Toney instead.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claims that due to ‘issues’ that have arisen in negotiations between Osimhen and the Middle Eastern outfit, they have decided to pursue Toney. It is unlikely that they will sign both Toney and Osimhen on Friday.

Al-Ahli are now working on documents to complete a deal for Toney after agreeing a £35million fee with Thomas Frank’s outfit earlier in the day.

Toney has completed part of his medical in London and is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia to seal his big-money move, with the club now landing a striker to form a partnership with ex-Liverpool star Roberto Firmino.

Many clubs within the Saudi top flight believe that Al-Ahli cannot afford to sign both Toney and Osimhen, especially considering the division’s rules concerning the number of foreign players each side can have, paving the way for Chelsea to move for their Nigerian target.

Chelsea are now thought to be the only team in the running to sign Osimhen, with Al-Ahli and Paris Saint-Germain looking elsewhere, with Antonio Conte’s Napoli already moving on with his replacement Romelu Lukaku.

While French outlet L’Equipe claim that Osimhen is getting ‘very angry’ at Napoli for not already agreeing a deal with Chelsea, with all parties hoping to strike a very late agreement.

He wants to move to Stamford Bridge but fears that he will not be able to get on a plane to London on Friday, with the two clubs still in dialogue.

It also remains to be seen whether he is willing to live within the constraints of Chelsea’s newly-revamped wage structure, which rewards players with higher salaries based on the club’s performance during the length of their contract.

Osimhen is Napoli’s highest earner and had a mega contract offer from Saudi Arabia. But although he would earn considerably less at Chelsea, he would get the opportunity to play in the Premier League and crucially, his options are dwindling.

And although Osimhen has given the green light for a move that could cost upwards of £60m, Chelsea still have work to do with his club and there are only a few hours remaining before the window closes until January.