Victor Osimhen is one of the hottest strikers in world football. While the Nigerian sensation only has six goals so far this season, the Napoli ace announced himself to the world as a world-class forward after scoring 31 goals in 39 matches last season, leading his club to their first Serie A title in 33 years.
As a result, two Premier League giants are closely following the 24-year-old and have earmarked the Super Eagles goalscorer as their no.1 target. The first team will come as no surprise. They are Chelsea, the London giants who despite spending over a billion since the arrival of Todd Boehly, are yet to sign a reliable goalscorer.
The Blues are currently 10th in the table and have scored 22 goals so far in the Premier League. Manchester United are the only team in the top half of the table to have scored fewer goals than Mauricio Pochettino's expensively assembled side.
As a result, the London powerhouse have earmarked Osimhen as their top transfer target for the no.9 position, according to the Telegraph. Chelsea have been linked with several other strikers, namely Brentford's Ivan Toney, but will prioritize the Nigerian.
Osimhen is said to be open to a move to Stamford Bridge despite the club's struggles but the deal could cost over £100M. Victor will enter the final year of his Napoli contract and has fallen out with the club after videos mocking the striker were posted on the club's official TikTok account.
Furthermore, Kalidou Koulibaly, the former Napoli captain who spent last year at Chelsea before moving to the Saudi Pro League, is a friend of Osimhen and could be used to aid Chelsea's pursuit.
However, there is another Premier League heavyweight with growing interest in the Nigerian. That team is Arsenal, who currently top the Premier League table.
The Gunners came achingly close to winning the English top-flight title last season and are competing for the trophy this term. Unlike Chelsea, Arteta's men are in the UEFA Champions League and appear destined to finish in the top four again — though it remains unclear how crucial UEFA Champions League football will play in Osimhen's decision were he to leave the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
According to LondonWorld, Osimhen is Arteta's main transfer target as the club looks to secure a talisman striker. In comparison, Gabriel Jesus, who has only one Premier League goal this season mainly due to injuries, has never scored 15 or more goals in a single season throughout his time in the English top flight.
The Gunners have been heavily linked with a move for Brentford's Ivan Toney, a reliable option who could be available this January. However, due to FFP, Arsenal appear unable to make any significant signings this summer and are instead preparing for a marquee acquisition this summer.
It should be noted that Osimhen openly admitted to having a Manchester United and Chelsea shirt, hinting at a preference for Stamford Bridge or Old Trafford. However, Chelsea's precarious situation could complicate things for the Blues ahead of an interesting summer transfer window involving the Super Eagles sensation.
