The Blues could do with replacing Nicolas Jackson with a more proven centre-forward this summer, and if they can avoid a bidding war with a big name like PSG that would surely be ideal.
Chelsea may have been handed a transfer boost ahead of this summer as it looks like Paris Saint-Germain won’t be prioritising a move for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.
Given that Osimhen has been linked with Chelsea by Gianluca di Marzio, this seems like encouraging news that could help bring the 25-year-old to Stamford Bridge.
Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside, French football expert Jonathan Johnson discussed PSG’s interest in Osimhen and admitted that, although the Nigerian is a player on their radar, he isn’t a priority for the Ligue 1 giants this summer.
Johnson believes PSG will instead focus on other areas of their squad, with Manchester City playmaker Bernardo Silva named as someone who seems more like the kind of profile the club are looking for.
“Victor Osimhen to PSG is another story making the headlines at the moment, and while I don’t know if he’d be their absolute priority target, he certainly is a name that they’ve looked at, along with Benjamin Sesko,” Johnson said.
“With Mbappe leaving, there’s a few players PSG have looked at to strengthen in attack, but I think at the same time, as we’ve seen from PSG in the Champions League this season, a new striker is not necessarily a priority. PSG’s main problems are not necessarily through the middle – Goncalo Ramos has shown enough form (despite not being able to find the target against Borussia Dortmund) that he could be the man to be PSG’s number 9. He’s shown he can score goals, netting 14 in all competitions so far this season.”
“So when you look at what PSG already have in attack, not only with Ramos as the focal point but also with Randal Kolo Muani as an option at central striker, plus Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola and Marco Asensio out wide, I don’t think that a new number 9 like Osimhen solves the issue of replacing Mbappe.”
“…So, overall I think names like Bernardo Silva and Bruno Guimaraes, that kind of profile, could come up higher on PSG’s list than someone like Osimhen… I think PSG will feel they have other needs in other positions ahead of the number 9 position,” he concluded saying.
Reports say the London club now want to pay him 10 Million Pounds a year, which will more than match what PSG plan to table before him.
The Napoli striker is a priority transfer target for the Premier League club and since they will not be playing UEFA Champions League next season, they have to put in other things that will entice him.
It has already been reported that Chelsea wants to do a swap deal that will include Romelu Lukaku, plus a young player as well as 80 Million Euros for the Super Eagles striker with the release clause on Osimhen’s new Napoli contract set to about 130 Million Euros.
