Osimhen keen on Arsenal transfer after Chelsea bombshell

Tom Weber

Updated: 1 Jun 2024 02:20 CDT
3 min read

Victor Osimhen, Napoli, 2023/24 — © IMAGO

Victor Osimhen is ready to head to Arsenal after the news that Chelsea have cooled their interest, according to a report.

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The Napoli striker is one of Europe's most in-demand commodities, but there has just been a massive twist in the tale. Fabrizio Romano dropped some bombshell news on Friday when he revealed that Chelsea no longer view the Nigerian as their priority target.

The Blues had been keen on the 25-year-old for months, but his €130 million price tag, age and salary mean that the west London giants would rather target someone more affordable, claims the transfer expert.

PSG have also been frequently linked with Osimhen, but little seems to have developed on that front to date. Arsenal were thought to be fully out of the race, but the latest twist has just blown the transfer saga wide open again.

Osimhen keen on Arsenal

According to Italian transfer expert Gianluca di Marzio, Osimhen is open to joining the Gunners following the Chelsea revelation. It is, of course, still too early for concrete negotiations, but Arsenal could pounce on this opportunity.

FootballTransfers, however, understands that the Gunners, like Chelsea, would prefer a more affordable option this summer, especially in light of Kai Havertz's impressive goalscoring form towards the end of the bygone campaign.

Osimhen is keen on a Premier League move and was previously said to want to emulate his idol Didier Drogba at Chelsea. The hefty release clause in his new Napoli contract, however, means that clubs are thinking twice about signing him.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are yet to decide on which striker to pursue this summer, having also been heavily linked with the likes of Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres, Ivan Toney and Alexander Isak in recent months. Moves for the latter two appear highly unrealistic at this point, though.