Like Chelsea, PSG may pull out of Osimhen race

Like Chelsea, PSG may pull out of Osimhen race

The unending transfer speculation regarding African Footballer of the Year and Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen is dangerously nearing a fiasco, reports www.sportsunlimited.ng.

Various clubs like PSG, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and clubs in Saudi Arabia were reported to be interested in the signature of the Nigerian but it emerged yesterday that Chelsea was unlikely to pursue his transfer further due to Napoli's insistence of invoking his release clause.

The expected arrival of Antonio Conte in the Napoli coaching set up is further scaring The Blues as they want to avoid some awkward negotiations with former their former manager.

Chelsea had offered a huge fee plus two players for Osimhen as first approach was said to have been made.

But according to HITC, that price tag has now deterred Chelsea from making a move. The Premier League club has reportedly informed Napoli that it's not prepared to trigger the clause, with owner Aurelio De Laurentiis reluctant to sell for anything less.

The development comes in the same week that it was confirmed that Antonio Conte would be taking over at the Italian club. The 54-year-old managed for two seasons at Stamford Bridge between 2016 and 2018, winning a Premier League title in his maiden season in charge, but despite winning the FA Cup in his second campaign left in acrimonious circumstances.

The London club is wary of Financial Fair Play regulations and will need to make player sales before spending in excess of three figures on a single transfer deal.

With Chelsea seemingly out of the race to hook Osimhen, PSG is thought to be the new favourite.

The Parisian giant is in the midst of a rebuild with Kylian Mbappe having confirmed he’s played his last game for the club, with the striker expected to join Real Madrid this month.

However, the Ligue 1 champion is also said to be put off by the price. Saudi Pro League chiefs have also been linked given the finances of the deal would not be an issue, but at 25, Osimhen is unlikely to want to move to the Middle East in the prime of his career.

Osimhen's future became the subject of intense speculation in September after he fell out with his club over a social media post.

After missing a penalty, he was mocked by the official Napoli accounts, with the club later forced into an apology.

"On social media, and TikTok particularly, expressive language is used in a light-hearted and playful manner. In this case involving Victor there was no intention of mockery or derision,” the club said in a released statement. "If Victor was in any way offended, this was not at all in the club's intentions."

He cemented himself in club folklore in the 2022/23 campaign, with his 26 league goals helping fire his club to a first domestic title in 33 years.