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Chelsea were keen to sign Victor Osimhen earlier in the year but their interest appears to have cooled, leaving the Napoli man in limbo.
Chelsea have been heavily linked with Super Eagles and Napoli striker Victor Osimhen over the past year.
The 25-year-old has been one of the hottest properties in European football, especially in Italy, and an exit from Napoli is expected this summer. However, it appears a transfer away from Serie A is not as certain as it was weeks ago.
According to Simon Johnson of the Athletic, new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca wants to focus on other targets.
So why are Chelsea no longer interested? Here are three possible reasons
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01:41 - 10.07.2024
Victor Osimhen in striker merry-go-round: Lukaku, 2 others fingered in gripping saga to get Super Eagles ace to PSG
Victor Osimhen is set to join Paris Saint-Germain in a complex series of big-money striker swaps across Europe involving two European superstars.
Osimhen is too expensive
Osimhen signed a new contract with Napoli last year, which enabled the Serie A club to insert a release clause of 130 million Euros.
The problem is that Chelsea and the other suitors have no desire to pay that much for the Nigerian. Napoli are unwilling to budge on the fee, causing teams to look elsewhere.
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The Blues need to stay in line with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability rules, and spending that much on Osimhen does not appeal to the hierarchy.
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Injury concerns
Victor Osimhen's injury record has likely contributed to Chelsea's decision to back out of a move for the Napoli striker.
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Since joining Napoli in 2020, Osimhen has missed 65 games due to injury and had 15 different injury layoffs in less than four years.
In the 2023/24 season alone, he spent over two months sidelined with five separate injuries and was rarely fully match-fit due to constant returns from injury.
Even in Napoli's Scudetto-winning season, Osimhen missed a month of action due to injury, despite finishing as Serie A's top scorer with 26 goals.
Cheaper alternatives
Chelsea's pursuit of Osimhen has been put on hold due to the emergence of more affordable alternatives.
According to The Athletic, the London club have been scouting four potential strikers who would be more budget-friendly than the Napoli forward.
These players include Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig, Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting, Ivan Toney from Brentford, and Artem Dovbyk from Girona.
While they may not possess the same level of talent as Osimhen, they would allow Chelsea to allocate resources to other areas of the team, making them more attractive options for the Blues.
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00:43 - 10.07.2024
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Victor Osimhen: PSG set to offload their biggest stars to accommodate signing of Super Eagles star
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