Victor Osimhen’s dreadful form worries Chelsea

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 7 Apr 2024 12:42 BST
• 4 min read

Victor Osimhen’s dreadful form in recent months has started to worry Chelsea ahead of a possible summer transfer bid.

At the start of the season and entering into 2024, Osimhen was undoubtedly regarded as one of the best strikers in world football.

He scored 31 goals in 39 games in all competitions last season as Napoli won their first Scudetto in 33 years.

READ MORE: European Golden Shoe 2023/24: Who is Europe’s leading striker?

However, this term the Nigerian’s form has fallen off badly, particularly in recent months.

In 14 games in 2024, Osimhen has only scored in four matches.

He also has just one assist in that time.

READ MORE: Champions League top scorers 2023/24

His general level of performance has also been hugely disappointing.

Osimhen performance against Barcelona

This was illustrated in Napoli’s 3-1 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League a few weeks ago, as the Partenopei were eliminated.

Osimhen won only one of the 10 duels he competed in and only one of six aerial duels.

He also gave the ball away 11 times and did not win it back once.

Osimhen was offside four times in the first 20 minutes and was dominated by Barcelona’s 17-year-old rookie Pau Cubarsi.

In his most recent game, Osimhen was also completely taken out of the game by Atalanta's Isak Hien in a terrible 3-0 home defeat.

It has been suggested that the fact Osimhen is leaving in the summer has caused him to lose motivation playing for Napoli.

However, that would not explain his poor showings at the Africa Cup of Nations for Nigeria in January where he scored just one goal.

This has put some doubts in the head of Chelsea owner Todd Boehly, who knows it will cost him a three-figure sum to bring Osimhen to Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have splashed out over €1 billion in the last 18 months since Boehly bought the club and he is under pressure - also due to FFP - to not waste any more money.

Despite that outlay, they have performed shockingly badly on the pitch, winning no trophies, finishing 12th last season and positioned in eleventh this term.

One of Chelsea’s biggest problems has been their lack of firepower.

As such, the Blues have made the signing of a top striker a priority in the summer.

Osimhen is one of the main names on their striker shortlist, but it now seems as if PSG have moved ahead in the race for him amidst Chelsea's doubts.

FootballTransfers understands that Osimhen has decided to leave Napoli at the end of the campaign.

The 25-year-old has seen his relationship with Napoli sour this season, following the TikTok scandal in which the club’s own social media team mocked his penalty miss with Bologna.

Osimhen has had a difficult season on the pitch, while Napoli have endured a disastrous defence of the Scudetto they won last season and are currently seventh in Serie A.

Osimhen also has interest from a number of other Premier League and European clubs, including Arsenal.