Victor Osimhen has grown into one of the most sought-after forwards in world football after a meteoric rise to the top of Italian football with Napoli. The Nigerian international scored huge goals to help Napoli land their first Scudetto since Diego Maradona in 1990 and the first time ever under the new ownership of Aurelio De Laurentiis.
Chelsea were reportedly in for Victor Osimhen last summer but backed off due to the numbers involved in signing the striker. Instead, they opted for a less-experienced Nicholas Jackson. Chelsea’s hopes of signing Osimhen next summer have hit a snag, as Napoli have reportedly reached a new agreement with the Nigerian forward.
Chelsea’s Victor Osimhen chase suffers setback
Chelsea have been the world’s highest spenders for the past few transfer windows under the new ownership led by Todd Boehly. The American businessman has always made money available for new signings, with the club investing heavily in players like Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Nickolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku, and many more in the last transfer window.
Chelsea also wanted to add Victor Osimhen to their attacking ranks, but Napoli’s asking price reportedly put the Blues off, prompting them to postpone their chase for the Nigerian forward to next summer. Sadly, Chelsea’s decision to take the foot off the gas for a year seems to have backfired, as the former Lille striker is set to sign a one-year extension at the club, which will keep him there until 2026.
“Napoli have reached an agreement in principle with Victor Osimhen on a new contract with a release clause included,” Fabrizio Romano reported yesterday.
“It will be valid until June 2026, one more year. The final value of the clause is to be decided, but could be around €130 million as per Sky,” the Italian transfer journalist added.
Victor Osimhen’s season so far
In-house conflicts and injury problems have marred Victor Osimhen’s season. Earlier this season, the Nigerian international was mocked on the club’s official TikTok account for missing a penalty in the previous game.
This caused a massive rift between the Nigerian forward and the club, and after so many back-and-forths, the former Lille man decided to release a statement defending the people of Naples.
He’s also had to deal with injury problems this season, missing some crucial games for Napoli in the process. However, despite these setbacks, the Nigerian international has managed to score seven goals and assists twice in 15 appearances across all competitions.
Six of those goals have come in the Serie A, as Napoli continue to struggle to defend their Scudetto. Napoli lie sixth in Serie A after losing three of their last five games in the competition. They’re 14 points behind league leaders Inter Milan, who have been in imperious form all season.
Which club is most likely to sign Victor Osimhen from Napoli?
