The Nigerian striker once seemed bound for Chelsea, but his head has apparently been turned
Victor Osimhen finds himself in a precarious position as transfer rumours swirl around him as the Nigeria international could be stuck at Napoli at the end of the window.
The star striker has seen a potential move to Paris Saint-Germain falter, and is now reportedly uninterested in joining Chelsea, while Arsenal's interest is reportedly growing.
Arsenal step up for Osimhen
Initially, PSG seemed to be Osimhen's most likely destination, but the French club has yet to sell players like Randal Kolo Muani or Goncalo Ramos to make room for the striker.
This delay has stalled any progress towards securing Osimhen's services this summer, opening doors for other suitors.
Arsenal, on the other hand, have recently stepped up their pursuit of the Napoli forward despite also considering other targets such as Viktor Gyokeres and Manchester City's Julian Alvarez.
Reports indicate that Arsenal are preparing a substantial bid for Osimhen, although it may come with a lower salary package than what PSG could offer.
Osimhen no longer keen on Chelsea
Chelsea were initially seen as a favourable option for Napoli due to the potential for an exchange deal involving Romelu Lukaku and Osimhen’s admiration for Blues legend Didier Drogba.
However, Osimhen himself is reportedly 'unenthusiastic' about joining the troubled Premier League side, which could be a significant stumbling block in any negotiations between the clubs.
The Corriere dello Sport claims that Osimhen's reluctance to move to Chelsea is a major factor in the current deadlock and this could affect a deal for the Blues’Belgian striker Lukaku, who is training alone at Cobham while his teammates are on their USA tour.
Osimhen, who signed a lucrative new contract with a significant wage increase in December 2023, was expected to move this summer for his €120m release clause and has been exiled from Napoli’s pre-season matches, but no offers have come close to his price tag, leaving both club and player in an unwanted bind.
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