According to transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano, Napoli reached an agreement in principle with striker Victor Osimhen on signing a new contract.

This is really a strong blow to Chelsea’s ambitions – the club is considering Osimhen as its top transfer target in January or beyond, Summer 2024.

Osimhen’s current contract with Napoli will expire in 2025. However, the new contract, according to Romano, will keep the Nigerian star at the Serie A champions until 2026, with a release clause worth about 130 million euros.

The exact number has not been finalized, but Osimhen’s willingness to continue playing for Napoli certainly makes Chelsea disappointed. This season, the 24-year-old striker has scored 7 goals in 15 appearances for the home team Diego Armando Maradona in all competitions.

Osimhen joined Napoli from Lille in 2020 for 75 million euros, becoming the most expensive rookie in the club’s history. To date, Osimhen has played 116 times for Napoli, scoring 66 goals and 16 assists. Osimhen’s explosive performance last season helped the Naples team win Serie A for the first time in more than 3 decades.

As for Chelsea, the reason they pursued Osimhen was because they wanted to strengthen their attack in the context that Armando Broja and Nicolas Jackson both failed to meet the requirements. 

Even, the British press not long ago reported that The Blues are ready to break their own transfer record to recruit Osimhen. However, the new move of the star born in 1994 could make Chelsea’s ambitions go up in smoke.