Chelsea insider reveals £100m Arsenal, Spurs target ‘would pick’ Poch’s side – ‘I had the information’
According to a Chelsea reporter, Napoli forward Victor Osimhen would prefer to join the Blues over Premier League rivals Arsenal and Tottenham.
The Nigeria international has been consistently linked with a potential move to the Premier League in recent years and it may finally come to fruition in 2024.
Osimhen grabbed 26 goals and four assists in 32 league appearances last season as he helped Napoli win the Serie A title.
As things stand, Osimhen will enter the final year of his Napoli contract at the end of this season and their chances of keeping him will not have been helped by a club official mocking the striker in a bizarre video via TikTok.
Chelsea signed Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku in the summer but they reportedly remain in the market for a new striker in January or next summer.
The Blues – who are top of the 2023 Premier League net spend table – have been linked with Brentford’s Ivan Toney but Osimhen is also understood to be on their radar.
Journalist Ben Jacobs claims Osimhen will be valued at around £100m in the summer and The Standard’s Chelsea reporter Nizaar Kinsella claims he would favour the Blues over Arsenal and Spurs.
“It’s a bad market for strikers in January, and Osimhen is the striker that everyone wants,” Kinsella said via the London is Blue podcast. “There’s no point in getting another young one now.
“He’d be a great fit, and Chelsea like him. Osimhen likes Chelsea, I had the information for a little while.
“He’s always loved Chelsea, loved Drogba. They’ve got some similarities. He’d be interested in Manchester United, but they’re not going to sign a striker.
“It’s basically Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs competing in the battleground and Osimhen would probably pick Chelsea out of three.”
FEATURE: Keane vs McAteer headlines fantasy boxing card as Wenger-Mourinho, Terry-Bridge settle their beef
Blues legend John Obi Mikel recently told his compatriot that he is “100% coming to Chelsea”.
“It’s not the time to go to Saudi,” Mikel said in a conversation with Osimhen.
“Next season I know you’re going to come to Chelsea. I’m going to be the agent to broker that deal. You’re 100% coming to Chelsea!’
“You are 100% going to Chelsea next season because we are crying out for someone like you since the big man left, Didier Drogba, we haven’t had anybody with that figure and stature and can score goals in big games.
“I feel like you are that person and fits in with what we want to achieve at that club.”
TRANSFER GOSSIP: Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea, Newcastle all want same winger; Neves battle
