Transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano has claimed Arsenal has not made any progress in the pursuit of Napoli ace Victor Osimhen. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Chelsea are also in the running for the Nigerian, but negotiations have proven tricky with both the player and the club.
Victor Osimhen Has Been Linked With Many Clubs Throughout The Summer
Since Osimhen and his agent had a tiff with the Napoli management and fans last season, reports have tirelessly linked the forward with a move away from the club. Napoli did not put its talisman up for sale in the January transfer window, but the club is open to selling him for the right price this summer.
Throughout the summer transfer window, Osimhen has garnered interest from many top clubs, including PSG, Chelsea, and Arsenal. PSG is looking to find a prolific center-forward after Kylian Mbappe’s departure. Arsenal is reportedly on the hunt for a more efficient alternative to Gabriel Jesus, who only scored four Premier League goals last season. Lastly, Chelsea wishes to bolster its front line by replacing out-of-favor Romelu Lukaku with a more committed natural center-forward.
However, despite drawing interest from such deep-pocketed clubs, Osimhen remains a Napoli player. According to sources, the club and the player’s economic demands are stalling the move. While Napoli wants to earn around €120m/€130 million from his sale, Osimhen is not prepared to take a wage cut to facilitate a move. He is currently on a €10 million per year deal in Naples.
Fabrizio Romano Explains Why Arsenal, PSG, and Chelsea Have Struggled To Sign Victor Osimhen
Shedding light on the Osimhen saga, Romano revealed in his Daily Briefing column for CaughtOffside:
“Osimhen to Chelsea is only a topic for the final days of the window, not today, not yesterday, not tomorrow, for the final days alone. Osimhen doesn’t want to go on loan, as I told you, and doesn’t want to reduce his salary, so let’s see if they can find a way, or maybe if some other door could open for Osimhen.
“The only club to have an agreement on the contract this summer was Paris Saint-Germain in July, then talks between PSG and Napoli were very complicated, and so PSG left the negotiations.”
He added:
“There is nothing regarding Arsenal’s reported interest from what I know, and it’s also not about which team are the favorites to sign him, it’s about who can agree with Napoli and with the player.
“Let’s see what’s going to happen in the final days, but at the moment, it’s still quiet.”
Osimhen, 25, has played 133 games for Napoli, scoring 76 times and providing 18 assists. His contract with the Partenopei expires in June 2026.
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