Victor Osimhen to Chelsea takes huge twist as Blues edge closer to statement transfer

Chelsea’s path towards Victor Osimhen is reportedly clearing as Paris Saint-Germain cool their interest in the Napoli striker. PSG have been the Blues’ main rivals throughout the Osimhen saga but an asking price of more than £100million has seemingly proved a bridge too far.

The Nigerian is widely expected to leave Napoli before this month’s transfer deadline, and the Italian club are currently locked in talks with Chelsea over signing Romelu Lukaku as his replacement.

Chelsea and the Azzurri are reportedly discussing Lukaku and Osimhen as two separate deals, and the London club’s mission may have just been made significantly easier by an unexpected twist.

According to L’Equipe, PSG, who have been hot on the heels of Osimhen all summer, are not expected to pursue him during the final stages of the window. An injury to fellow striker Goncalo Ramos whipped up fresh optimism around a move for Osimhen, but manager Luis Enrique looks set to find an alternative solution.

The withdrawal of Chelsea’s main competitors will boost Enzo Maresca’s chances of getting his hands on the 25-year-old, who has scored 76 goals in 133 games for Napoli over the past four seasons.

Maresca’s Blues side drew a blank in his first Premier League game as Manchester City won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.

Nicolas Jackson was handed the starting role before teenager Marc Guiu was given a chance to impress in the second half, but neither player was able to hurt City as goals from Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic sealed the three points.

While Chelsea boast an expensively assembled squad, Osimhen would still bring a significant injection of quality to Maresca’s forward-line. The frontman scored 31 goals in 2022/23 and has experience in Germany and France, having played for Wolfsburg and Lille prior to his Serie A switch in 2020.

Chelsea’s squad is overflowing with attackers and Lukaku is set to be followed out of the Stamford Bridge exit door by Armando Broja before the deadline, with Ipswich Town among the 22-year-old’s suitors.

There is also huge uncertainty around the future of Raheem Sterling. The four-time Premier League winner was left out of Maresca’s matchday squad on Sunday and could be forced to search for game time elsewhere in light of Chelsea’s recent signings.