Chelsea are reportedly set to make the signing of Napoli star Victor Osimhen their top priority next summer.
The Blues have already started exploring striker options, as manager Graham Potter wants to add one to his squad. They do have Romelu Lukaku on the books, but Potter and the club are not planning to integrate the Belgian back into the squad after his loan at Inter Milan expires at the end of the season. Instead, they plan to offload Lukaku permanently.
According to 90min, Chelsea have received glowing reports on Victor Osimhen from their scouts. The Napoli man has become the No.1 option among the club’s scouts, with the Pensioners keen to splash big on a striker next year.
Osimhen, 23, joined Napoli from Lille in 2020 and has been a key player for the Serie A side. Despite battling with injury problems in the last two years, the Nigerian international has 27 goals in 57 appearances for the Naples-based outfit. He has been in good form this season with four goals, as Luciano Spalletti’s side lead the Serie A standings.
Victor Osimhen to Chelsea—Good addition to the team?
Graham Potter needs to add more quality to his Chelsea squad to challenge the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool for the Premier League title next term. Seemingly, a striker is at the top of Potter’s agenda, despite Chelsea signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona late in the summer transfer window.
Aubameyang is a proven striker at the highest level but at 33 he is not a long-term solution for the Blues. The Blues view Armando Broja as an exciting young talent, thus deciding to retain his services when a host of Premier League outfits were interested in signing him.
Broja needs time and guidance to become a star at the club, and while he can be Chelsea’s long-term face in front of goal, Potter wants someone who can make an immediate impact at Stamford Bridge. In that regard, Victor Osimhen seems like an ideal fit on paper.
Osimhen can operate as a wide forward, as a No.9 or in a two-pronged attack, and will immediately improve Chelsea’s forward line. The Nigerian is a tall, strong and intimidating striker with a great burst of pace and link-up play, someone who can make a difference for Potter’s side. He will add goals, assists, pace, flair and physicality to Chelsea’s attack whilst being a long-term replacement for Aubameyang.
If the 23-year-old can manage to keep himself fit and running, he can potentially form a devastating attack at Chelsea with the likes of Aubameyang, Broja, Raheem Sterling, Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic. However, Chelsea will need to spend a fortune to tempt Napoli into selling Victor Osimhen next summer amidst heavy interest from all over Europe.