Chelsea leads the race to sign Napoli’s star ahead of Arsenal.
According to Football Transfers, Chelsea are favorites to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen ahead of London rivals Arsenal in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Osimhen has established himself as one of the finest strikers in the world, alongside Manchester City’s Erlig Haaland, as a result of his remarkable goal-scoring exploits at Napoli.
Since joining from Ligue 1 club Lille, the Nigerian international has spent three seasons in Naples, consistently scoring goals. Across all competitions, he has made 104 appearances, tallied 62 goals, and recorded 14 assists.
In 39 games, he scored 31 goals and dished out five assists as Napoli won the Serie A championship for the first time in 33 years. He scored 26 goals in 32 matches to win the Serie A Golden Boot, becoming the first African to do so.
Osimhen was voted Serie A’s Best Striker based on his outstanding performances as he led Napoli to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals last season.
Osimhen has been in excellent form this season, scoring three goals in three league games as Napoli earned six of a possible nine points prior to the international break.
In 38 matches with Lille, the Nigerian tallied 18 times and registered six assists. He has developed into one of the world’s most prolific strikers.
Interest
His play has piqued the interest of some of Europe’s most prestigious clubs, with Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain among those firmly linked with a summer move. Osimhen ultimately decided to remain with Napoli, but interest is already growing for next season.
According to Football Transfers, Arsenal have identified Osimhen as a key target for the 2024 summer transfer window and have already engaged in’meaningful’ negotiations with Napoli regarding a potential transfer.
However, according to the report, Chelsea has beaten their London rivals to the punch and is considered the favorite to recruit the Nigerian next summer, as they may have already reached an agreement.
Mauricio Pochettino signed Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal in July, but the Blues did not acquire a more seasoned striker. According to a report, this is because Chelsea are confident that they will sign Osimhen next season.
The 24-year-old is valued at £103 million by Transfermarkt, so Chelsea will have to pay a hefty fee to acquire him, but if they do, Osimhen would be a sensational addition to West London.
Chelsea leads the race to sign Napoli’s star ahead of Arsenal.