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By Peter Akinbo
Chelsea are leading the race to sign Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen from Napoli with reports claiming the Premier League side may even have agreed a deal already.
Osimhen was arguably the most coveted striker in the transfer market this summer, but Napoli held firm and kept their centre-forward as club president Aurelio De Laurentiis demanded a very high fee from all suitors.
However, interest in the Nigeria international from other clubs is not expected to fade away as Osimhen is still yet to sign a new contract and will have a year left on his deal by next summer.
According to Football Transfers, Chelsea have decided to make Osimhen their top target for the summer of 2024 and they are said to have taken the lead in the race to sign him, ahead of rival suitors such as Arsenal.
The report from Football Transfers hints they might have agreed a deal with Osimhen already, which is why they were happy enough just to add Nicolas Jackson upfront this summer.
The centre-forward position has been problematic position for Chelsea in recent years. Strikers Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner have been prolific elsewhere but have struggled to replicate their form at Stamford Bridge in recent years.
This season, Mauricio Pochettino can choose between Jackson and Armando Broja as his main options at centre-forward. Christopher Nkunku was brought in over the summer from RB Leipzig to add a new element to their attack, but he suffered a knee injury during their pre-season game against Dortmund and had to undergo a surgery keeping him out till November.
Osimhen became one of the most highly-rated strikers last season when his goals helped Napoli to a first Serie A title in 33 years. During his time in Italy, he has scored 62 goals from 104 appearances for his current club.
Depending on how they perform this season, Chelsea could be in a strong position to offer Osimhen the next step and a first taste of Premier League football. They will have to make a major progress in Pochettino’s first season in charge to right some wrongs from last term as the 24-year-old is keen to play in the Champions League.