Chelsea are reportedly locked in Victor Osimhen loan talks as Napoli want to reunite Romelu Lukaku with Antonio Conte on a permanent transfer.
According to The Athletic, the proposed transfer of Lukaku to Napoli would see the Belgian striker make a permanent switch to the Italian club. In contrast, the potential deal for Osimhen to move to Chelsea is structured as a loan with an option to buy, with the two clubs currently negotiating to reach an agreement that will see both players take on a new challenge in 2024-25.
Osimhen has a substantial release clause of £110 million ($142 million), which has made negotiations challenging. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have shown interest in signing the forward too, but the talks regarding a permanent sale have stalled with Napoli due to differences in the valuation of the player.
Osimhen was omitted from a pre-season friendly against Egnatia by Napoli manager Conte, adding to the speculation about his future at the club. However, this should be an encouraging sign for Chelsea as they now seem to be the frontrunners to secure the Nigerian ahead of PSG. Lukaku, meanwhile, is in line to work with Conte again after winning Serie A under the Italian coach during their time together at Inter Milan.
Lukaku is reportedly expected to return to Chelsea’s training ground at Cobham next week to continue his training in an individual capacity. Nonetheless, the Blues are keen to resolve Lukaku’s transfer situation before their squad returns from their pre-season tour in the United States on August 7.
