Chelsea prepare to beat PSG to Osimhen transfer after Lukaku breakthrough

Suraj Radia

• 27 Aug 2024 19:00 BST
• 2 min read

Chelsea are finally set to make their first bid for Victor Osimhen after seeing Romelu Lukaku edge closer towards his move to Napoli.

The Blues have long tracked Osimhen, while the player himself has always spoken of his desire to move to the Premier League, having always planned to leave Napoli this summer.

Napoli had been hoping to receive a fee of around €100 million for Osimhen but their asking price has dropped over the summer, with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli having a bid of €65m accepted by Napoli in recent days.

READ MORE: Confirmed! Chelsea's Bomb Squad has its newest member

However, Osimhen’s agent took to Twitter this week to hint towards the striker rejecting a move to Saudi Arabia, insisting that his client ‘still has so much to do in Europe’.

Current ETV

Victor Osimhen

F (C)

Napoli

Victor Osimhen

F (C)

Napoli

€71.1M

ETV Range

€53.3M - €88.9M

View full profile

Paris Saint-Germain had also been linked with Osimhen but a deal could not be reached with Napoli, while the Nigerian’s wage demands are also thought to be excessive for interested teams.

Chelsea had previously hesitated over a transfer for Osimhen due to his salary but, according to Italian reporter Gianluca Di Marzio, Enzo Maresca’s side will now make an official bid to Napoli in the coming hours, with the club keen to beat PSG to his signature.

Lukaku agrees Stamford Bridge exit

The news comes after Napoli struck a deal with Chelsea to sign Osimhen’s replacement in Lukaku, who manager Antonio Conte has been desperate to reunite with.

Lukaku has been given permission to travel to Italy for a medical ahead of a €30m transfer, with the 31-year-old set to pen a three-year deal to finally end his disastrous time at Chelsea.

READ MORE: Premier League summer transfers 2024: All the Done Deals

The Belgian has not played for the Blues in more than two years, having spent the last two campaigns in Serie A, and his departure will relieve Chelsea of one of the black holes in their ‘bomb squad’.

Current ETV

Romelu Lukaku

F (C)

Chelsea

Romelu Lukaku

F (C)

Chelsea

€36.2M

ETV Range

€27.2M - €45.3M

View full profile

Chelsea have exiled as many as 14 players from the first team in the hopes of forcing their exits ahead of Friday’s transfer deadline and it is hoped the exit of high-earners like Lukaku and Raheem Sterling will allow the club to Osimhen’s wage demands if a deal is agreed with Napoli.