Chelsea look set to up their interest in Napoli striker Victor Osimhen after he apparently impressed their scouts in a recent match.
According to Calcio Mercato, Osimhen drives scouts “crazy” with the quality of his performances. As a result, the Blues are now pondering a move for the Nigerian as they hunt for a new man to lead the forward line.
The Chelsea scouts got a feel for Osimhen’s ability during his side’s 1-0 victory over Roma last night, where he played a starring role.
Osimhen scores winner for Napoli
Napoli’s Nigerian forward proved to be the difference on Sunday evening, helping the Serie A leaders overcome a stingy Roma defence.
Despite being the visitors, Napoli enjoyed the majority of possession and made the most clear-cut chances. They thought that they had won a penalty in the first half, but VAR judged that Roma keeper Rui Patricio won the ball fairly.
During the second half, Napoli continued to apply pressure, spurning a number of chances. Osimhen also missed a great opportunity himself, dragging a shot wide from the edge of the box.
But he did not let that affect him. With ten minutes left in the game, Matteo Politano sent the Nigerian through on goal. Osimhen shrugged off Chris Smalling before unleashing a clinical half volley. The ball fizzed past the keeper into the far bottom corner, securing a 1-0 win and three points for Napoli.
With the win, Luciano Spalletti’s squad maintains their three-point gap at the top of Serie A. They also remain unbeaten in the league this season.
For Victor Osimhen, his goal demonstrated the pace, power, and technical quality he possesses, attributes that make him such an in-demand player for Premier League clubs. But which teams have expressed interest in the forward?
Chelsea among clubs interested in Victor Osimhen
As well as Chelsea, a host of other clubs are joining the race for the signature of Victor Osimhen. With 14 league goals and five assists in 2021/22 – plus four goals from seven this year – it is clear to see why.
For instance, HITC suggest that Spurs will be chasing Osimhen when the transfer window comes around. Conte wants him, plus has a large budget with which to add depth to his squad.
Similarly, Manchester United would like to have Osimhen come to Old Trafford – potentially as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo.
In the last window, the likes of Newcastle and Arsenal also made efforts to get the 23-year-old, too. So, Osimhen clearly has options if he wants to switch Italy for England.
But for now, this seems unlikely. Football Italia claim that Osimhen is avoiding talks of a transfer so he can focus on helping Napoli. After all, the club are in fine form this season; if they can maintain it, Napoli could capture its first Scudetto in over 30 years.
Additionally, club president Aurelio de Laurentis has set quite the price tag for his star striker. Get football news Italy reports that the Serie A leaders want €100 million for Osimhen. This is a high fee, of course – but a team may still pay it if the Nigerian maintains his form.
Featured image credit: Getty
