Chelsea is considering a move to acquire Victor Osimhen through an initial loan from Napoli, while simultaneously engaging in discussions with Atlético Madrid regarding the sale of Conor Gallagher.
Ongoing negotiations with Napoli aim to finalize a deal for Osimhen that may also facilitate Romelu Lukaku’s transfer to the Italian club on a three-year deal. The Nigerian forward is reportedly enthusiastic about a switch to Stamford Bridge. Despite Paris Saint-Germain being seen as the frontrunners for the 25-year-old, they have yet to broker a financial agreement.
Napoli’s president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, has established a release clause of approximately €130m (£110m) for Osimhen, who has been training individually, away from the main squad under Antonio Conte, and has not yet participated in pre-season matches. Chelsea has previously communicated that they are not inclined to meet this release clause but are reportedly exploring the option of a loan with a potential permanent transfer at the season’s end.
Lukaku’s future, as he prepares to return to training at Chelsea’s Cobham facility this week after two seasons on loan with Inter and Roma, could play a significant role in finalizing a deal for Osimhen. The Belgium international has two years remaining on his contract following his return for a record fee of £97.5m in 2021 and has reached an agreement on personal terms with Napoli. Chelsea has previously held out for a fee of around £30m.
Chelsea is open to transferring Gallagher to Atlético Madrid, who have reportedly proposed a total package of up to €40m (£33.7m) for the England midfielder. This offer is considerably lower than the £50m Chelsea aimed to secure earlier in the summer amidst interest from Aston Villa and Tottenham, particularly given that Gallagher now has less than a year left on his contract.
Whether Gallagher would be amenable to a transfer to Atlético remains unclear; however, he is thought to be willing to remain at Chelsea if the terms of a potential move do not align with his expectations, which could lead to him leaving his childhood club on a free transfer next summer.
after newsletter promotion
Chelsea is actively seeking to offload Trevoh Chalobah after excluding the defender from their squad for the United States tour; meanwhile, they are expected to confirm the signing of Filip Jorgensen following the goalkeeper’s successful medical examination prior to a €24m (£20.2m) transfer from Villarreal.
