Victor Osimhen to Chelsea: Romano drops transfer bomb that changes everything

Robin Bairner

31 May 2024 00:54 CDT
3 min read

Fabrizio Romano, Victor Osimhen, Chelsea — © IMAGO

Fabrizio Romano has issued an update on Chelsea’s latest hopes of landing Victor Osimhen from Napoli this summer.

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Osimhen, 25, has widely been linked with the Stamford Bridge side, with the stumbling block thought to be how the Blues, who are financially restricted at present, trigger the Nigeria striker’s €130 million release clause. Napoli are said to be unwilling to accept anything less than this figure.

One strong theory in the Italian media is that a swap deal could be negotiated that would see Romelu Lukaku thrown in given the Belgium international has excelled in Serie A in the past.

Current ETV

Victor Osimhen

F (CRL)

Napoli

Victor Osimhen

F (CRL)

Napoli

ETV Range

€54.4M - €90.6M

Il Mattino has built up the prospect of such a move this week, with the appointment of Antonio Conte as Napoli boss having seemingly increased the prospect of such a deal.

Romano, though, has shot this down in flames.

Taking to X, Romano said: “Chelsea will sign a new striker this summer as part of next season plans but no negotiations or talks taking place for Victor Osimhen, with or without Lukaku in the deal.

“Chelsea are not planning to go for Osimhen as of now.

“Romelu Lukaku and Armando Broja are expected to leave.”

READ MORE: Latest Chelsea transfer rumours

Chelsea still have Osimhen hope

Clearly, this is not the update that most Chelsea fans would have wanted from Romano given their goal-scoring problems over the course of the last few seasons.

A deal, though, might not be dead. Osimhen is keen to leave Napoli but it is unlikely that any club will trigger his release fee following a disappointing season in which he scored 17 goals in 37 appearances across all competitions.

PSG are still following the striker while Manchester United have been credited with an interest, yet the €130m tag is likely to see both put off.

With no one willing to pay his release fee but with a desire to leave, the striker could agitate for this figure to come down.

Osimhen’s Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) stands at €72.5m.