EPL: Chelsea preparing £77m bid for Victor Osimhen

English Premier League giants Chelsea are preparing to make a £77m bid to secure the transfer of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen in the summer.

According to Italian newspaper Il Mattino, the Blues are set to launch a bid of £77m to acquire the services of the Nigerian striker at the end of the 2023/24 football season.

The report also suggests that Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis may consider accepting an offer below Osimhen’s €130m release clause, given Osimhen’s desire to leave the club.

The Nigeria international recently signed a contract extension until June 2026 and the new deal includes a release clause of €130m.

However, Il Mattino claims De Laurentiis could accept an offer below the release clause given that Osimhen had already expressed a desire to leave the club.

Chelsea has long been believed to be looking for striker reinforcements, and intermediaries have already begun talks with Osimhen’s agent, Roberto Calenda, to negotiate a move for the former Lille striker.

Victor Osimhen has an impressive goal-scoring record for Napoli, with 72 goals in 125 games since 2020, making him an attractive signing for the London club.

The 25-year-old Super Eagles striker has already scored 13 goals in all competitions this season, demonstrating his ability to considerably improve Chelsea’s attacking prowess.

Chelsea would, however, face competition from other clubs, like Arsenal and PSG, for signing of the Nigeria international.