Victor Osimhen to Chelsea: Transfer moves closer with Conte desire key

Tom Weber

• Updated: 3 Aug 2024 19:44 BST
• 3 min read

Talks regarding the transfer of Victor Osimhen are frantically continuing, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Napoli striker is looking to leave Italy this summer and the club won't stand in his way - at the right price. Napoli have no intention to sell the 25-year-old for a bargain and this has already caused talks with PSG to collapse.

However, a veritable storm was recently unleashed when it was revealed that Chelsea were in talks with Napoli regarding the striker, with the latter club potentially open to a swap deal with Romelu Lukaku.

READ MORE: Romano gives another major update on Chelsea transfer target

Even Osimhen's agent got involved in the story by publically dismissing the idea that the Napoli sharpshooter could leave on loan, as had been suggested. It was, however, later confirmed that talks between the two clubs over a potential swap deal had indeed taken place.

Romano on Osimhen

Now, Osimhen has been omitted from Napoli's squad to face LaLiga side Girona in a friendly in what is the latest indication that talks remain ongoing behind the scenes.

Indeed, according to Fabrizio Romano, all parties are frantically working on finding a solution. The longer this situation drags on, the more problematic and awkward it could become, with Napoli potentially stuck with a very expensive player who is not keen to be there.

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It will also surely not delight new coach Antonio Conte, whose planning has been for a team without Osimhen. According to Romano, Conte only wants Lukaku as his striker next season, but of course, Napoli won't make a move for the Chelsea flop until they have a deal for Osimhen wrapped up.

Seemingly, the easiest way to unlock this situation would be for Chelsea to begin concretely working on Osimhen's signing. The problem is that the Blues have no intention of breaking the bank on the Nigerian, which means that a transfer remains difficult albeit not impossible.