Chelsea are prioritising signing a new centre-forward this summer after a difficult season
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Another underwhelming campaign will shortly draw to a close for big-spending Chelsea, but the Blues are determined to make more statement signings this summer.
The Stamford Bridge have spent more than £1 billion on players over the last two years, but they are yet to see on-field success as a reward.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side are at least ending the season strongly though, with the Blues still hoping to lock down a top-six finish that seemed unlikely not long ago.
WATCH | The GENIUS Way Chelsea Beat Tottenham
Attention will soon turn to the transfer window and particularly what the club will do to resolve their No. 9 conundrum.
Nicolas Jackson was signed from Villarreal last summer and recently hit a purple patch of form after needing time to adapt to his new surroundings.
But Chelsea could dip into the market once more to find a more reliable source of goals, and TEAMtalk reports that Victor Osimhen of Napoli is again being looked at.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
The Nigeria star is a long-time target of Chelsea’s but could leave Naples after a disastrous title defence.
Osimhen and Napoli have struggled this season (Image credit: Getty Images)
Osimhen is described by sources as the perfect fit for Chelsea and a player who “is there waiting” for their call should they want him.
Separate reports of PSG reaching an agreement to sign the 25-year-old are said to be wide of the mark, with Osimhen himself preferring a move to Chelsea as he wants to play in the Premier League and emulate his hero Didier Drogba.
The Nigerian shot to prominence as one of Europe’s top strikers last season by leading the Serie A scoring charts to fire Napoli to their first title in 33 years.
But the 2023/24 campaign has been calamitous for Partenopei, who were left reeling by the exit of boss Luciano Spalletti and have been through three coaches since: Rudi Garcia, Walter Mazzarri and Francesco Calzona.
Osimhen, who has a deal to June 2026 in Naples, has still bagged a strong return of 17 goals in 31 games across all competitions, but ninth-placed Napoli are set to end the season in mid-table.
The Italian club’s owner Aurelio De Laurentiis is sure to drive a hard bargain with Chelsea, with Osimhen valued at £95 million by Transfermarkt.
Jackson has been inconsistent this term (Image credit: Getty Images)
Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.
