Napoli are discussing the potential of signing Romelu Lukaku as part of talks with Chelsea over Victor Osimhen, according to The Athletic.
There are negotiations taking place between the two clubs that would see Chelsea land the Nigerian hitman, with a season-long loan and an option-to-buy for next summer being touted, as the Blues try to fix their striker woes by signing of one of Europe’s top strikers.
Lukaku, meanwhile, would move to the Estadio Diego Armando Maradona on a permanent-basis after a failed second stint at Stamford Bridge, having joined for a club record £97.5m fee in 2021.
The Belgian, who is expected to return to Chelsea training this week after spending the past two seasons on loan at Inter and Roma in Serie A, has two years left on his deal.
Given he is among the players who have not travelled to the US for the Blues pre-season tour, a return to Italy could soon be in the offing.
A new striker is believed to be high on the priority list of those within the Chelsea front office. Osimhen, who has been a prolific source of goals for Napoli in Serie A and the Champions League, is said to be a long-standing transfer target for the club.
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Why Chelsea must sign Victor Osimhen? Jackson vs. Osimhen comparison
The Blues brought in Nicolas Jackson from Spanish side Villarreal for €37 million on a permanent deal last summer and he has had mixed success in his first Premier League campaign with the club despite scoring 14 goals.
The Senegalese forward splits opinion of the Chelsea fanbase, to say the least. At times, the striker has looked scintillating, but too often he has been wasteful with his finishing. He was excellent down the stretch last season, but his finishing has left a bit to be desired for.
COMPARED: Victor Osimhen vs. Nicolas Jackson per 90 during the 2023/24 league season. 🕶 https://t.co/BbBEK1Phhh pic.twitter.com/zjMLI6U2Wu
— Squawka (@Squawka) July 30, 2024
Having a centre-forward who is unreliable in front of goal is hardly an ideal situation new boss Enzo Maresca to have, as he will have to find a consistent source of goals from other areas.
There’s no denying that some of the criticism levelled at the 22-year-old was harsh last season. You can’t fault Jackson’s effort, but a Premier League striker needs to be more clinical and less erratic in big moments.
As a result, Chelsea desperately need an elite No. 9 like Victor Osimhen if they want to get out of the slump they have been in since Todd Boehly took over the club.
Osimhen has proven himself to be a prolific goal-scorer, consistently finding the back of the net in recent seasons.The Nigerian striker has been a revelation since joining Napoli in 2020, netting 65 times in just 108 league appearances.
His impressive tally of 31 goals in 39 games in 2022/23 helped them end their 33-year wait for a Serie A title in the 2022/23 campaign. Osimhen’s armoury is much diverse than Jackson as he is equally adept in aerial duels and a high-volume shot taker.
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