Romano confirms Chelsea in driving seat to land Osimhen as ‘contract on the table’

Chelsea are locked in talks with Victor Osimhen over a move to Stamford Bridge and are ahead of other suitors in the pecking order to land the Nigerian striker.

Osimhen has been Chelsea’s top striker target since the start of the transfer window but the Blues had a preference to sign him on loan with an option to buy in order to comply with PSR restrictions.

The 25-year-old has made it clear all along that he would only move in a permanent transfer, or at least on loan with an obligation to buy and Napoli slashing his asking price has brought Chelsea to the negotiating table.

Napoli were originally holding out for his £111m release clause but it’s been claimed the Serie A side have accepted a €70m offer from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli and the Blues are ready to pay a similar amount to lure him to the Premier League.

Al-Ahli though have offered Osimhen a staggering £400,000 per week, which is beyond Chelsea’s means and not in keeping with their new policy of offering players longer, heavily incentivised contracts with a lower starting salary.

But according to TEAMtalk they are willing to make Osimhen their highest earner, offering him a still very significant £325,000 per week deal that suggests they’re not going to stick to their model.

That report claims there is ‘confidence brewing’ on all sides that a deal can be done with new manager Enzo Maresca giving the club the green light as he wants competition for Nicolas Jackson for a starting spot.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claimed late on Wednesday that Osimhen and Chelsea are ‘in active talks on salary’ as the Al-Ahli contract is ready and waiting to be signed.

He wrote on X:  ‘Plan revealed now confirmed: Al Ahli delegation has arrived in Italy for direct talks with Osimhen and his camp. Contract on table with release clause, as Osimhen wanted. Chelsea in active talks with Osimhen on salary. Al Ahli deal only happen if #CFC talks collapse.’

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Osimhen fired Napoli to the Serie A title in 2022/23 by scoring 26 league goals in 32 appearances, before managing 15 in 25 games last term.

Chelsea are looking at alternatives ahead of the close of the transfer window though, with Brentford’s Ivan Toney an option, though the England international also has interest from Al-Ahli and is said to have verbally agreed to a £330,000 per week deal.

Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin is said to be another target for the Blues, with the Toffees open to selling their academy graduate to help balance their books, though Arsenal are also looking at the 27-year-old as an option to replace Eddie Nketiah, who’s on the move to Crystal Palace.