Chelsea must do whatever it takes to sign Victor Osimhen in the upcoming transfer window. The Napoli striker continues to be heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge as Enzo Maresca looks to strengthen his frontline.
Osimhen nearly joined the Blues last summer, but a deal collapsed at the eleventh hour, so he joined Galatasaray on loan instead. football.london understands that Chelsea submitted a bid for the 26-year-old towards the end of the transfer window.
It's believed that the west Londoners wanted to sign Osimhen on a season-long loan, which included an obligation-to-buy clause. Despite Chelsea's best efforts, they couldn't reach an agreement with the Italian giants before the deadline.
Osimhen, who had already been banished from the first team by Antonio Conte, snubbed an 'extortionate' offer from Al-Ahli before jetting off to Istanbul. The Nigerian international was a great success at Galatasaray, firing the Turkish giants to their third successive title.
Victor Osimhen of Galatasaray celebrates after a goal during Turkish Super Lig week 33 football match between ikas Eyupspor and Galatasaray at Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadium in Istanbul, Turkiye on April 27, 2025
Victor Osimhen during Galatasaray's clash against Eyüpspor (Image: Photo by Adem Kutucu/Anadolu via Getty Images)
He featured 29 times in the Süper Lig, scoring 25 goals and providing five assists. Osimhen, who has recently entered the final year of his contract at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, also helped Okan Buruk's side win the domestic double.
While the Nigerian has spent the last 12 months outside of Europe's top-five leagues, he's proven he still has what it takes to perform at the highest level. So, with the Club World Cup coming up and UEFA Champions League on the horizon, Chelsea should waste no time in wrapping up a deal for Osimhen.
The Napoli striker would provide Maresca with the cutting edge that his side has been missing recently. Nicolas Jackson enjoyed a brilliant start to the Premier League season, scoring six goals and providing three assists in his first nine games.
Galatasaray's Victor Osimhen celebrates after scoring a goal during the Turkish Super Lig week 34 match between Galatasaray and Net Global Sivasspor at RAMS Park in Istanbul, Turkiye on May 3, 2025
Victor Osimhen during Galatasaray's clash against Sivasspor (Image: Photo by Hakan Akgun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The 23-year-old, who Chelsea signed from Villarreal for just £32m in July 2023, was terrific, helping the Blues climb to second in the table. Like many of his teammates, Jackson had a bit of a wobble over the festive period, and he began to struggle.
Then, in February, the Senegal international suffered a hamstring injury, denting the confidence he was beginning to rebuild. Jackson eventually ended his drought in front of goal last month, firing Chelsea to a 1-0 win over Everton with a superb strike from range.
Until he was shown a red card in the penultimate away game of the campaign, Jackson was instrumental to the west Londoners' push for top four. The Chelsea striker has proven he's capable of leading the frontline, but, in order to compete on all fronts, Maresca needs a merciless talisman to step up in the big moments.
Victor Osimhen of Galatasaray celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the Turkish Super League match between Galatasaray and Kayserispor on May 18, 2025
Victor Osimhen during Galatasaray's clash against Kayserispor (Image: Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images)
Jackson could do that one. Osimhen will do that from the moment he puts pen to paper. That's not to say Jackson doesn't have a future at Stamford Bridge because he absolutely does.
Together, they would enable Maresca to navigate his way through numerous competitions. Osimhen would be a great addition, but Chelsea would likely miss out on the opportunity to sign the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko and Liam Delap.
The west Londoners must be prepared to put all their eggs in one basket – even if it looks like Arsenal or Manchester United are about to get a better deal. Gyokeres, Sesko and Delap will all probably find new clubs this summer, but Chelsea must focus on signing Osimhen...
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Chelsea flag prior the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Chelsea FC and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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