How Victor Osimhen’s INJURY record is putting off Chelsea

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 16 Oct 2024 11:55 CDT
• 4 min read

Victor Osimhen remains a viable January transfer option for Chelsea.

Defensa Central reported earlier this week that the Blues are considering returning for the Napoli star, who is on loan at Galatasaray.

The report claims that Chelsea are mulling over a bid that will reach €75 million, a figure that would be accepted by Napoli.

Despite being on loan at Galatasaray for the season, Osimhen can be sold to a new club permanently during the January transfer window.

The Blues had planned to sign a new number nine this past summer and attempted to bring in Osimhen from Napoli late in the window.

However, the move failed as Chelsea were hesitant on spending too much money, and Osimhen ended up joining Galatasaray on loan.

Given that Osimhen is widely acknowledged as one of the best strikers in world football - averaging well over one goal every two games at Napoli and plundering home 31 goals in 39 matches in their historic Scudetto triumph in 2023 - it is incredible that he never managed to find himself an elite club this summer.

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Naturally, Napoli’s asking price of over €100 million for much of the summer before reducing it to a still sizable €75m in the closing days of the market played a role in the likes of Arsenal, PSG and Chelsea being reluctant to go all-in on Osimhen. The same was the case for Osimhen's salary demands of €10m a year net.

But there is another reason why clubs like Chelsea were - and still are - wary of signing Osimhen; the 25-year-old’s injury record.

Osimhen’s injury-proeness is undoubtedly a concern.

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Osimhen’s injury record

Osimhen missed 65 games while playing for Napoli between the summer of 2020 and the end of the 2023-24 season.

He incredibly had 15 different injury layoffs in four years.

In 2023/24, Osimhen had six different injuries and missed over two months of the season due to physical problems.

When he was fit, he was rarely full match-fit because he was constantly returning from spells on the treatment table.

Even during Napoli’s historic Scudetto-winning season when Osimhen finished top-scorer in Serie A with 26 goals, the Nigerian still missed almost two months of the season with injury.

In 2021-22, amongst the four separate periods he was sidelined, Osimhen missed 54 days with a fractured cheekbone. This led to him wearing a protective mask for a long period afterwards.

Osimhen’s aggressive, explosive and competitive style of play certainly leaves him open to both muscular and contact injuries - as does his rather rubbery frame.

Osimhen hit the headlines in June after an epic six-minute long rant against Nigeria national team coach Finidi George.

George had claimed it was impossible to take disciplinary action against certain players while he claimed that the striker chose not to play in two World Cup qualifying matches he was actually fit for. It was stated that Osimhen picks and chooses which games he is available for.

Osimhen hit back insisting he was injured and saying he would not allow George to “stain my name”.

The aftermath of this controversy was George resigning as manager of Nigeria.

After arriving at Galatasaray on loan, Osimhen has continued to have injury problems. Despite arriving on September 4, Osimhen has already missed three games for the club with a muscle strain. He also missed out for Nigeria during their most recent international break.

Osimhen's history of injuries and missing games is a problem for any team, especially those paying such a huge sum of money for him in terms of transfer fee and salary.

It is a concern that Chelsea still have ahead of the January transfer window.