Chelsea Withdraws from Race to Sign Victor Osimhen Due to £111m Price Tag, Turns Attention to Samu Omorodion
Premier League club Chelsea has reportedly pulled out of the race to sign Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen from Napoli, opting instead for Spanish-born Nigerian striker Samu Omorodion.
According to Mail Sport, talks between Chelsea and Atletico Madrid are progressing regarding Omorodion, who is set to cost the Blues £30 million despite scoring just nine goals in 35 LaLiga appearances during a loan stint with Alaves.
Chelsea had been heavily linked with a move for Osimhen in recent transfer windows, with a proposed swap deal involving Romelu Lukaku plus cash. However, Osimhen’s £111 million release clause has made the deal difficult to finalize.
With Chelsea stepping back from Osimhen, Sky Italy reports that Arsenal could now advance in their pursuit of the Nigerian forward. Paris Saint-Germain and clubs in Saudi Arabia also reportedly hold an interest in Osimhen, who has scored 76 goals in 133 appearances for Napoli.
The 25-year-old Osimhen has yet to feature in a pre-season game for Napoli under new boss Antonio Conte.
If Arsenal triggers Osimhen’s release clause, it would break the club’s transfer record just 12 months after signing midfielder Declan Rice for £105 million.