‘I’ve faced world-class strikers before – Chelsea could end up signing the best'

Chelsea could end up with two of the very best strikers in the world if they sign Victor Osimhen according to Napoli defender Alessandro Buongiorno. The Blues are on the hunt for a new goalscorer (or two) and have their sights set on both Osimhen and Atletico Madrid starlet Samu Omorodion.

Reports suggest the latter is close to clinching a £35million move to Stamford Bridge, though it’ll only be greenlit if Atletico, who are aiming to sign Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher in a separate deal, seal a move for Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez. Even if they sign Omorodion, 20, it’s understood Chelsea could still push for Osimhen, 25, with the London club currently locked in talks with Napoli over an £84m move.

Buongiorno, who recently completed a £30m switch from Torino to Napoli, has spent the last five years playing in the Italian top-flight, meaning he’s come up against the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lautaro Martinez, Paulo Dybala and Dusan Vlahovic.

Despite this, when he was asked to name the toughest forwards he’d ever faced, he chose Osimhen and Romelu Lukaku. “Victor [Osimhen] was definitely tough,” Buongiorno told Football Italia. “We all know about his speed and he was really difficult to mark.

“Man-marking Lukaku was also really difficult because he is so big. There are many strong strikers, and it’s always difficult. You have to study them a lot, watch their movement and how their teammates like to get them the ball.”

Despite not having played for Chelsea since 2022, 31-year-old Lukaku is still on the club’s books, though a summer exit is anticipated. Napoli manager Antonio Conte, who previously coached Lukaku at Inter Milan, is keen to reunite with the Belgian striker, but will only be able to sign him if Osimhen leaves.

The Nigeria international, who has netted 76 goals in 133 appearances for Napoli, is happy to do so, but potential buyers Chelsea and PSG are hesitant to meet his valuation.

Chelsea have considered a loan move with an option to buy, but it’s understood Osimhen, who wants certainty about his future, isn’t enthusiastic about this arrangement. Another possibility for Chelsea is to offer Lukaku as part of a player-plus-cash deal for the ex-Lille forward. However, due to their precarious Profit and Sustainability rules situation, Chelsea would rather sell the £98m-rated Lukaku separately.

Osimhen’s wage demands could also pose a significant hurdle. He signed a lucrative contract in December which reportedly increased his weekly earnings to £295,000, and he is unwilling to accept a reduction.

This means Chelsea would need to breach their strict wage structure to sign the player. To put this into perspective, only three Chelsea players (Lukaku, Raheem Sterling and Reece James) earn over £200k per week, and all three of those contracts were agreed prior to the change in the wage structure.

As such, the situation remains uncertain. Osimhen and Napoli have agreed to part ways, but only under suitable conditions. Meanwhile, Chelsea are eager to offload Lukaku, but if Osimhen stays at Napoli, they’ll need to find a new buyer.