- Why Chelsea Might Still Not Sign Victor Osimhen
Napoli have agreed a deal to sign Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku permanently. That leaves Marc Guiu and Nicolas Jackson as the two center forward options Chelsea have at the moment.
With the Lukaku deal now all but done, Chelsea fans expect the club to go all in for Victor Osimhen as their match against Manchester City shows the Blues still need a proper goalscorer in attack.
While Chelsea fans might think signing Osimhen is closer than ever right now, let’s look at some solid reasons why The Nigerian striker might not end up at Stamford Bridge come September 1.
Osimhen’s Age
Osimhen’s age is one of the biggest factor why Chelsea might not want to pay £90 to £100 million for him.
Chelsea new owners have signed two players over the £80 million mark since they took over (Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo), and they were both under the age of 22 years at the time. This is because they want to be able to recoup significant fees when these players move on in the future.
It is unlikely that Chelsea will spend £100 million on a player who turns 26 in December, because it does not fit into their known transfer strategy.
Injury Records
Also, Victor Osimhen’s injury record will scare Chelsea. The Nigerian has a history of missing chunks of the season. Since moving to Wolfsburg in 2017, Osimhen has missed 86 matches directly because of Injuries.
Other Possibilities
Additionally, there is also a strong possibility of PSG coming back into discussions to sign the Nigerian striker. Goncalo Ramos is out for a long period, and Randal Kolo Muani is the only main center forward at the French Champions. If the club can generate enough money through sales, a late move for Victor Osimhen cannot be ruled out.
Saudi Arabia clubs are also monitoring the situation of the Nigerian striker. There are reports that Osimhen has already agreed personal terms with a Saudi League outfit, and a £100 million fee would be no problem for the the big Saudi clubs.
It is not entirely impossible for Chelsea to sign Osimhen, but with the current owner’s transfer strategy and their recent history, it is not likely they will spend £100 million on Osimhen.
26 is still very much a fair age, his injury issues are over exaggerated, if Chelsea doesn’t sign him then they would have to contend with Jackson for the whole season.