Few strikers embody the prototype of the physical center forward at international level quite like Victor Osimhen (25) and Romelu Lukaku (31). Now the two could swap teams. But there are still a few obstacles
For a man who cost over 100 million euros just three years ago, Romelu Lukaku currently enjoys a rather low standing at Chelsea FC. After two loan deals in the last two years – one to Inter Milan, one to AS Roma – the Belgian international striker is set to return to London after his European Championship vacation this week.
Mind you: to London, not the USA. The majority of the professional squad is currently on tour in the United States, while the players who probably have no future at the club are training at home in England. This is probably also the case for Lukaku, who doesn’t seem to have found happiness with the Blues at his second attempt.
So it could be back to Italy for the 31-year-old center forward: As Italian and British media unanimously report, Lukaku has already agreed a three-year contract with SSC Napoli. There he would meet coach Antonio Conte, under whom Lukaku played perhaps the two best seasons of his career at Inter Milan. However, according to the Guardian, Chelsea are still demanding around 35 million euros for Lukaku, who is still under contract in London until 2026. And this is where another striker comes into play who is very similar to Lukaku: Victor Osimhen.
Napoli could only afford to sign Lukaku if the Nigerian star striker is sold this summer. But there is another catch: although Napoli’s eccentric president Aurelio Di Laurentiis is said to be prepared to sell his attacker, unlike last year, it remains to be seen whether Osimhen will actually leave. And, above all, where
Talks with PSG stalled
Paris St. Germain were in pole position for a long time, having to replace 44 goals for the season following the departure of Kylian Mbappé. A bargaining chip for the French side: squad planner Luis Campos had already signed Osimhen for Lille in 2019, which was to become a great springboard for Osimhen to become a top international striker. The player is not averse to a move to the capital, but the problem is once again the transfer fee. Osimhen’s contract includes an exit clause of 130 million euros – too much for the French club, according to L’Equipe. The talks are currently at a standstill
A deal between Napoli and Chelsea could possibly even lead to a swap of the two strikers. Chelsea have often been seen as interested in buying Osimhen in the past and are said to have brought the Nigerian’s name back into the negotiations surrounding Lukaku. Although Chelsea do not want to pay the 130 million for Osimhen, they would be willing to negotiate if they could get Lukaku off the payroll as part of the deal.
According to the Guardian, Napoli are now also said to be ready for such an offsetting deal. However, this does not automatically mean that a Buffalo swap will actually materialize. Napoli coach Conte can therefore be believed when he says of the Osimhen case: “We don’t know how it will turn out. “
