- 17 hours ago
Mudryk all over again? Chelsea race to beat Arsenal to Osimhen alternative
Robin Bairner
- 26 Mar 2025 04:25 CDT
- 2 min read
News
Chelsea are ready to face off against Arsenal in the race to sign an alternative to Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.
Both clubs are active in the transfer market for a new No.9, with a string of leading forwards linked to both the Premier League giants.
Names such as Benjamin Sesko, Alexander Isak and Osimhen have been mentioned in dispatches, yet there is no guarantee of landing any of these players given the demand for centre-forwards ahead of the summer.
As such, Moise Kean of Fiorentina has emerged as a potential signing, with the form of the former Everton ace in Serie A attracting widespread attention.
The 25-year-old has had an erratic career, showing initial promise at Juventus before failing at Goodison Park following a €27.5 million move. A strong showing on loan at PSG in the 2020/21 season rekindled the hype around the Italy striker, but a move back to Juve brought only disappointment.
With 15 goals in 26 appearances for Fiorentina this season, though, he once again seems a player on the up.
Current ETV
Moise Kean
F (C)
Fiorentina
Moise Kean
F (C)
Fiorentina
ETV Range
€29.9M - €36.6M
On Sunday, he added to his burgeoning reputation by scoring twice for Italy in a 3-3 Nations League draw with Germany.
Kean is now reportedly of interest to a string of Premier League teams, including Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, Gazzetta dello Sport reports.
When he signed last summer, a €52 million release clause was put in his deal. What seemed an astronomical figure is now a tempting price for the striker.
Kean deal is Mudryk déjà vu
Chelsea and Arsenal have been in this position when it comes to fighting over the same player in the past, of course.
During the 2023 January transfer window, the pair squabbled over the signing of Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk.
Arsenal initially seemed far ahead of the Blues in that particular race, yet a big-money offer from Todd Boehly’s side saw them pinch the Ukraine international from under the noses of their rivals, despite their €70m fee being well in excess of Mudryk’s value.
It was a decision that proved a disaster. Mudryk not only flopped at Chelsea in terms of his performance, but he is currently suspended pending an investigation into taking a Performance Enhancing Drug (PED), meaning that he cannot be used.
A move for Kean, whose Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) is €33.2m, would seem to pose a similar risk to the Mudryk deal.
