Chelsea are reigniting their pursuit of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen after the Nigerian international submitted a transfer request over the weekend.
Osimhen has been linked with a move away from Napoli since joining the club from Lille in the summer of 2020. Chelsea have long been interested in the prolific forward and previously explored a potential swap deal involving Romelu Lukaku with the Italian side.
New Napoli manager Antonio Conte is eager to reunite with Lukaku, having enjoyed success together at Inter Milan, where they won Serie A in 2021. However, Lukaku has struggled since returning to Chelsea later that year.
While Paris Saint-Germain was previously considered the frontrunner for Osimhen, their negotiations have reportedly stalled over the transfer fee.
It remains uncertain whether Chelsea will make a formal move for Osimhen, as the Blues have been hesitant to meet his release clause, which is believed to exceed £100 million. However, Osimhen is determined to leave Naples this summer. Napoli’s sporting director, Giovanni Manna, confirmed over the weekend: “Victor Osimhen has asked to leave the club. He wants to go. The situation is clear, there were already chances for his exit last summer. Victor wants to leave. We will see in the next 20 days.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is focused on trimming down his large squad ahead of the new season. Maresca, who replaced Mauricio Pochettino this summer, aims to reduce the first-team squad to around 23 or 24 outfield players.
Under Maresca’s leadership, Chelsea have added six new players to the squad as the club continues its rapid transformation under BlueCo’s ownership. The new signings are currently acclimating during a pre-season tour of the United States, while a significant number of players were left behind in London.
Chelsea are looking to offload several players, including some who were also on the market last summer. Malang Sarr has already had his contract terminated to facilitate his move to RC Lens. Sarr, who joined on a free transfer, was part of Thomas Tuchel’s Club World Cup-winning squad but trained separately from the first team throughout the season after failing to secure a move last year. Both parties wanted to avoid a repeat of the 2023/24 situation, and Sarr agreed to forgo any compensation.
Romelu Lukaku, who also remained separate from the squad while seeking a move last summer, only managed to secure a loan to Roma. The Belgian striker is once again seeking a transfer, with Napoli emerging as a potential destination, which could lead to a reunion with former Chelsea and Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte.
Kepa Arrizabalaga, who was loaned to Real Madrid on the eve of last season, is also expected to leave Chelsea in the coming weeks as his contract in west London nears its end.
Additionally, Chelsea have made it clear that Trevoh Chalobah is available for transfer. The defender, who was notably absent from Maresca’s squad that traveled to the US, is expected to be sold for a substantial profit.
Conor Gallagher, whose current contract expires in less than a year, was put up for sale last summer and remains on the market. Despite being highly regarded by Mauricio Pochettino, the England international has yet to rejoin Chelsea’s squad following his participation in Euro 2024 but has drawn interest from Atletico Madrid.