HIGHLIGHTS
- Chelsea are out of the race to sign Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, according to Gianluca Di Marzio.
- PSG and Arsenal remain interested in the Nigerian striker, available for around £110m this summer.
- The Blues have stepped up their interest in Atletico Madrid forward Samu Omorodion.
Chelsea’s pursuit of Atletico Madrid starlet Samu Omorodion has ‘effectively closed the door’ on Napoli star Victor Osimhen’s move to Stamford Bridge this summer, while Arsenal could now enter the race for the Nigerian, according to Sky reporter Gianluca Di Marzio.
The Blues have re-entered the race for the 2004-born striker and made significant progress on a deal worth around £43m, effectively ending speculation over a summer move for Osimhen, Di Marzio reports. Arsenal could now make a play to secure his signature this summer as they hunt for a top-level centre-forward.
The Italian football insider suggests that Paris Saint-Germain remain interested in Osimhen, who is expected to depart Napoli this summer after being left out of Antonio Conte’s first-team squad during pre-season.
According to Di Marzio, Arsenal could also ‘get back into the game’ for the Nigerian star, while clubs in Saudi Arabia face an uphill battle in convincing Osimhen to join, despite their long-standing interest.
The 25-year-old, who has a release clause of around £110m, is now waiting to see whether he will be called up for Napoli’s first game of the season, the Coppa Italia match against Modena on 10th August, Di Marzio suggests.
Chelsea ‘Out of Osimhen Race’
PSG remain interested in Napoli star
According to Di Marzio, Chelsea are now out of the race to sign Osimhen this summer, while PSG and Arsenal remain interested in the Napoli striker.
Yet to feature in any of Gli Azzurri’s pre-season games, the 25-year-old is currently training separately from the squad, with rumours over his future intensifying in recent weeks.
Osimhen’s agent, Roberto Calenda, confirmed that if Osimhen were to leave Napoli this summer, he would not consider a loan deal, despite reports claiming Chelsea might have considered a temporary switch with an option to buy at the end of the season.
According to Il Mattino, Osimhen now prioritises a move to PSG – the Parisian giants reportedly agreed personal terms with the Nigerian earlier this summer.
| Victor Osimhen Napoli Stats (2023-24) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Competition | Games | Goals | Assists |
| Serie A | 25 | 15 | 3 |
| Champions League | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| Italy Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Osimhen, who joined Napoli for a club-record fee in 2020, scored 15 goals and provided three assists in 25 Serie A appearances for Gli Azzurri last season.
In a disappointing previous campaign, Napoli finished just 10th in Serie A, despite winning the league title only 12 months prior, with no European football on the horizon for autumn.
Chelsea ‘Move Forward’ for Omorodion
Progressing on a £43m deal
Chelsea are ‘moving forward’ in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid striker Samu Omorodion, according to Gianluca Di Marzio.
The Blues have reignited their interest in the promising 20-year-old, who had an impressive season on loan at Alaves, scoring nine goals in 35 La Liga appearances.
According to Di Marzio, a move worth £43m for Omorodion is now progressing, while Atletico are ‘trying to close a deal’ for Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez before allowing the 2004-born Spaniard to leave this summer.
