Napoli are offering Victor Osimhen to Chelsea in a bid to finally land Romelu Lukaku.
Antonio Conte is now in charge in Naples and wants to bring the Belgian – who he won the title with at Inter Milan – back to Italy to replace wantaway striker Osimhen.
Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna has been in London to hold talks over a move for Lukaku. Currently they’ve tabled an offer of £26million but the Blues want £40m to part with Lukaku, who cost them a club-record fee when they signed him in 2021.
However, Napoli are looking to get rid of £90m-rated Osimhen, but having struggled to find a buyer at that price are ready to do a deal that sees the two strikers swap places – if they can meet in the middle on transfer fees.
Lukaku still has two years left on his deal at Stamford Bridge. For the past two years he’s been farmed out on loan – heading to Inter two years ago and then joining Roma last term. The 31-year-old has made it clear he only wants to be reunited with Conte.
Osimhen has been the subject of interest from PSG as well as clubs in Saudi Arabia. He scored 26 goals in 32 league games to help Napoli win Serie A two seasons ago and signed a new deal with a release clause of about £101m, but the club now appear open to his sale.
The Nigerian himself has talked up a move to the Premier League previously and compatriot John Obi Mikel believes Osimhen would be the prolific marksman the Blues are missing as he and Didier Drogba team up in an effort to get him to west London.
“We want somebody who can finish, score goals, the tap-ins. Someone like Erling Haaland. That’s something Victor Osimhen will bring to Chelsea. I hope that Chelsea fans will finally see him come to the club. I’ll make sure I send him those texts messages and calls, making sure Chelsea is his top priority!
“But it seems like he loves the club and wants to come to Chelsea. I’m sure he has all the big clubs wanting to sign him. I think if we can secure his signature it would be fantastic for the club. He’s somebody who will get us goals and that’s something that we need right now.
“A fantastic guy, fantastic human being and I really do hope he comes to the club and I’ll try my best to make sure that happens. Didier is also speaking to him, sharing his own ideas and what the club means to us. We all want to see Victor come to the club.”
