The 24-year-old striker has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League recently and, while he looks set to pen a new deal at Napoli, Todd Boehly should just break the bank to secure his signature.
understands that the Blues wanted to sign Osimhen in the summer, but Gli Azzurri were determined to hold onto their talisman – so Nicolas Jackson was signed from Villarreal instead. It's believed that Chelsea viewed the Nigeria international as somebody who could have transformed the club's misfortunes in front of goal but, without Champions League qualification, any bid to sign him proved difficult.
While the west Londoners remain some way off top-four, football.london understands that they're still interested in Osimhen.
But there's one problem; according to Fabrizio Romano, Napoli have recently reached an agreement in principle with the striker over a one-year extension.
It's said that his proposed new deal includes an eye-watering €130million (£111.6m) release clause.
While it seems an obscene fee to pay, the performances of Nicolas Jackson, Armando Broja and Raheem Sterling during Chelsea's defeat to Wolves at Molineux on Christmas Eve prove exactly why Boehly should just cough up.
The Blues must sign a new striker next month, so why not go out and buy the best player available on the market. Better still, the Chelsea owners have already been assured that Osimhen is perfectly cut out to play alongside Christopher Nkunku in the English top-flight.
In an interview with The Athletic, Calvin Bassey described his fellow countryman as the omnipotent frontman. The Fulham defender has played alongside the Napoli striker on seven occasions for Nigeria, losing just once
"He is a joke — the only striker I know who can run a back line by himself," said Bassey. "He can run in behind, he can head, finish, he can do everything.
The Prem would suit him. Hopefully, he comes at some point but I’d rather have him in my team than against him!"
At the end of the day, Boehly will need a green light from Pochettino.
When asked if he'll be recommending any strikers to higher-ups at Stamford Bridge, the former Tottenham boss replied: "My previous experience in different clubs, you know very well, I don't always try to give my best advice or opinion to the club.
"I am a manager that always loves to work with the club, the sporting directors, the owners, of course the players. The most important thing in football, the players the principal actor but always it's to talk all and to analyse and to take the best decision for the club.
"It's always about, I repeat in many experiences in the past, clubs and players that are going to decide. If we need to add, we do it together, in a way that takes the best decision for the club."
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