Chelsea is said to be ready to activate Victor Osimhen‘s £111m release clause in his Napoli contract, aiming to secure the striker during the upcoming summer transfer window.
After scoring 26 goals in Serie A last season, the 25-year-old played a pivotal role in Napoli’s title triumph. However, the current season paints a contrasting picture for the Blues, who find themselves in ninth position in the table.
Osimhen signed a fresh deal with Napoli in December, extending his terms until June 2026. Nevertheless, the striker is poised to depart the Italian champions in the upcoming summer transfer window.
In late last month, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis informed reporters: “This was already known since this summer, our negotiations [over the new contract] were friendly, otherwise it would not have been so long.
“We knew he would go to Real Madrid, PSG or a top English club.”
Paris Saint-Germain reportedly sees Osimhen as a potential successor to Kylian Mbappe, who has indicated his intention to depart the club on a free transfer this summer.
With Real Madrid poised to secure Mbappe, Carlo Ancelotti’s side is on the brink of being excluded from the race for Osimhen.
Italian journalist Rudy Galetti reports that Chelsea aims to accelerate negotiations for Osimhen, anticipating strong competition from PSG following the Mbappe developments.
Galetti asserts that Mauricio Pochettino’s team has purportedly agreed to cover the entire €130m (£111m) release clause, with the payment structure still requiring negotiation between the two clubs.
In the 2022-23 season, the Nigerian international showcased excellent form for Napoli, netting 31 goals and providing five assists in 39 appearances across all competitions.
However, this season, he has only secured eight goals and three assists in 18 appearances and has been recently unavailable for Napoli due to his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Osimhen played a key role in guiding his country to the tournament final, but Ivory Coast clinched the trophy on home soil with a 2-1 victory, courtesy of a late winner by Sebastian Haller.
After a 1-1 draw with Genoa in Serie A on Saturday, Napoli is gearing up to host Barcelona for the first leg of their last-16 Champions League encounter.
