**Ex-Chelsea defender William Gallas thinks his former club should have pushed the boat out to sign Victor Osimhen at the start of the season.**
The Frenchman was [**vocal in his backing for the move**](https://chelseanews.com/blog/chelsea-transfer-news-victor-osimhen-gallas), but the Nigerian international ultimately secured a permanent switch to Galatasaray for €75m (£66m) instead.
Gallas says the absence of a high-profile no.9, who has been there and done it, has cost the Blues dearly this campaign:
“To be honest, Chelsea, at the moment, I think they are missing one experienced player, and a player who can put Chelsea really on top for me is Victor Osimhen. I wanted to see him sign for Chelsea. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.”
Osimhen’s wage demands proved the key obstacle
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It should be pointed out that Chelsea did try to sign Osimhen in the summer of 2024. They were locked in talks with Napoli and his agents for several weeks.
However, the Blues have a strict wage structure, and it was reported that the striker’s refusal to compromise on personal terms led to the deal collapsing.
Consequently, when Osimhen was back on the market before the start of this season, it meant that Enzo Maresca’s side were not interested in revisiting the situation.
Chelsea’s current forwards have struggled to meet expectations
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There is no doubt that Osimhen would have helped Maresca’s team this campaign if he had made the switch to Stamford Bridge. Without his presence, the club have placed their trust in Joao Pedro and Liam Delap but both have encountered issues when leading the line.
Pedro started his Blues career very positively at the Club World Cup but the goals have slowly dried up. Delap, meanwhile, has suffered injuries, and he has not really adapted to the club’s style of play either.
[**Read more about the Chelsea First Team Squad for 2025/26 here**](https://chelseanews.com/blog/chelsea-first-team-squad/)