Chelsea are closing in on the signing of Victor Osimhen from Napoli in an extraordinary player-swap deal. The former Blues boss, Antonio Conte, who is now in charge at Napoli, is keen to bring Romelu Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge. The proposed deal would also involve young midfielder Cesare Casadei and a significant cash sum. Osimhen, who has been a long-term target for Chelsea, has expressed his desire to leave Napoli, while Lukaku is eager to end his difficult spell at Chelsea after spending two years out on loan.
This potential transfer comes on the heels of Chelsea’s owner, Todd Boehly, already spending a staggering £152 million in the current transfer window, bringing his total player expenditure to £1.114 billion since taking charge just two years ago. Chelsea’s new manager, Enzo Maresca, is particularly interested in signing Osimhen following the collapse of a previous deal for Samu Omorodion. Osimhen, who scored 15 goals in Serie A last season, is now looking to test himself in the Premier League.
However, if the swap deal goes through, it would represent a significant loss for Chelsea. They would effectively be receiving £46 million for two players who cost them a combined £114.5 million over the past three years. Lukaku’s transfer fee of £97.5 million from Inter Milan in 2021 was just short of the Premier League record.
While Napoli and Chelsea have discussed loan swap options, Osimhen is believed to prefer a permanent move to Chelsea. Although he has been linked to Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea is currently leading the race to sign him. Nicolas Jackson served as Chelsea’s main striker last season, with Christopher Nkunku as backup. Armando Broja, who was on loan at Fulham, is also surplus to requirements.
In addition to Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Everton have also shown interest in Osimhen. As for Lukaku, he lasted only one season at Chelsea before falling out with manager Thomas Tuchel and the fans. His public expression of discontent in an unauthorized interview on Italian TV led to him being loaned back to Inter and then to Roma. Lukaku, who is Belgium’s all-time leading scorer, wants to remain in Italy and has two years remaining on his £325,000 per week contract at Stamford Bridge.
The other player involved in the swap deal is Cesare Casadei, a 21-year-old midfielder who has barely featured for Chelsea since joining in 2022. He spent part of last season on loan at Leicester, where he worked with new Chelsea boss Maresca. The inclusion of Casadei further adds to the complexity of the deal.
Overall, this potential swap deal between Chelsea and Napoli highlights the complexities and financial risks involved in modern football transfers. While Chelsea may be eager to bring in Osimhen, they face the possibility of incurring a significant financial loss if the deal goes through. On the other hand, Napoli’s desire to secure Lukaku’s services demonstrates their ambition to strengthen their attacking options. Only time will tell if this deal comes to fruition and how it will impact both clubs in the long run.