Chelsea linked Napoli striker Victor Osimhen
Arsenal and Tottenham have been completely dismissed as contenders to sign one of European football’s elite strikers Victor Osimhen, with just four Premier League clubs able to afford the Napoli star.
The Nigerian frontman has hinted at an exit at the end of the current campaign and although he keeps being pushed towards Chelsea, that has not stopped numerous other Premier League clubs being linked with the forward.
On Wednesday, journalist Ciro Venerato revealed that the Stamford Bridge outfit are set to fight with Arsenal for his signature.
Meanwhile, a fresh report from Gazzetta dello Sport also states that Chelsea are ready to step up and pay Osimhen’s €130m exit clause, despite also being linked with a big-money move for Inter attacker Lautaro Martinez.
And now La Repubblica, as relayed by Mondo Napoli, claims that current Serie A champions are ‘ready to say goodbye’ to him in the summer.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men are thought to have already put out feelers for a big summer deal to land the former Lille hotshot, that’s according to agent Paolo Palermo.
Palermo has been speaking to TV Play’s Twitch channel about Osimhen‘s future, with his comments relayed by Calciomercato.
Osimhen ready to leave Napoli this summer
The agent claims the Nigeria international’s comments are a ‘prelude to a summer farewell’, although he has ruled out a switch to north London for the player.
“I’ve said since he renewed that he was leaving. Extending it for just one year means having already sold him, otherwise they would renew it for four years. They put the card on the player and also on the player’s contract,” he said.
“I think someone has already joined; I think Chelsea. Those who can spend €120-130m are Chelsea, City, United and Liverpool, I don’t think Arsenal. Tottenham could also do it but they have a salary cap of €6-7m, Osimhen already earns €10m.”
While there have been reports of Tottenham still having money to burn from the sale of Harry Kane, there is little or no chance of Daniel Levy spending that sort of money on one player.
Indeed, there has even been talk of Kane returning to north London sooner rather than later as he views the direction the club is going in under Ange Postecoglou.
As for the Gunners, signing a top striker remains a major priority for Mikel Arteta, but that sort of a figure is a push for a player who has excelled in Italy but remains unproven in England.
That leaves Chelsea and big-spending owner Todd Boehly as the firm frontrunners for a player who has scored 105 goals in 209 club career
