Conte could aid £110m Osimhen Chelsea move

The pursuit of Napoli’s Victor Osimhen is set to take a dramatic turn as Antonio Conte, former Chelsea manager, is poised to take the reins at Napoli, potentially shaking up the transfer dynamics and giving Chelsea a fresh chance to land the coveted striker.

Osimhen remains a highly sought-after striker ahead of the transfer window, with top clubs vying for his signature despite his recent struggles to replicate the impressive form he showed in the 2022/23 season.

After netting 26 goals in 32 Serie A appearances to lead the Naples side to the league title, Osimhen managed just 17 goals in all competitions in his following campaign.

Napoli owner Aurelio de Laurentiis has confirmed that the 25-year-old will be leaving the club this summer. Chelsea and Arsenal have both been credited with strong interest, although Paris Saint-Germain are expected to be in the running following Kylian Mbappe’s exit.

However, the future of Osimhen could depend on Conte. The Italian is expected to join Napoli as head coach and return to football after leaving Tottenham Hotspur over 12 months ago.

According to Italian news outlet Corriere Della Sera, Romelu Lukaku is being lined up as Conte’s replacement for Osimhen. The striker scored 21 times in 47 games for Roma last season and isn’t expected to stay at Chelsea this summer.

The imminent appointment of Enzo Maresca could change that but Lukaku has dropped countless hints over his preference to leave the West Londoners permanently. Reports have previously stated that the Belgium international could be available for around £37m.

Osimhen’s €130m (£110.7m) release clause is expected to be too much for Chelsea to activate so a potential player-plus-cash exchange with Lukaku going the other way could present an opportunity.

While financial considerations pose a significant hurdle, the prospect of signing Victor Osimhen remains intriguing. If new owner Todd Boehly can navigate a complex deal to offload Romelu Lukaku and secure Osimhen’s services, it would be a masterstroke.

Punch