Chelsea has reportedly withdrawn from the race to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen during the summer transfer window.
Napoli had confirmed that the Nigerian forward would leave the club at the end of the season, with Chelsea among the suitors for his signature. Osimhen is also thought to favour a move to the Premier League, with Arsenal emerging as his preferred destination.
Osimhen has been a standout player for Napoli, scoring 17 goals in 31 appearances this season, following a prolific 31-goal haul the previous year.
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His impressive performances earned him a spot in the 2023/24 Serie A Team of the Season and have attracted interest from several top clubs, including Manchester United, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayern Munich.
The latest development casts doubt on Chelsea’s pursuit of the former LOSC Lille striker, primarily due to the difficulty of activating Osimhen’s £113 million release clause.
Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed Chelsea’s decision to pull out of the race for Osimhen and their refusal of a swap deal involving Romelu Lukaku. Romano explained on his X account that Chelsea insists on a £38 million release clause for any club interested in signing Lukaku this summer.
Despite Napoli’s interest in Lukaku, who has spent the last two seasons on loan at Inter Milan and Roma, no discussions regarding a potential swap with Osimhen have been held.
