Napoli and Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen is close to joining Premier League club Chelsea in an extraordinary player-swap deal.
Former Blues manager Antonio Conte, now in charge of Napoli, wants teenage midfielder Cesare Casadei, valued at £17 million, and Chelsea’s £97.5 million outcast Romelu Lukaku, plus an additional £39 million to seal the deal, according to reports from The Sun.
This is a new development from the initial loan reports linking Osimhen to Chelsea, which were debunked by his agent, Roberto Calendar.
Calender was recently spotted at Stamford Bridge during a preseason match between Chelsea and Inter Milan, fueling speculations of a move to Chelsea.
Victor Osimhen, Romelu Lukaku swap deal saga
Victor Osimhen is keen on leaving Naples this summer. Meanwhile, Belgian striker Lukaku, currently banned from the Blue’s first team alongside two other players, is desperate to get out of Chelsea’s nightmare.
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s new manager, is interested in Osimhen after Samu Omorodion’s £34.5 million move from Atletico Madrid fell through.
Chelsea have had their eye on Osimhen for a while and the 25-year-old striker, who scored 15 goals in Serie A last season, wants to put himself to the test in the Premier League.
However, Chelsea would suffer a huge loss from the swap agreement, receiving just £46 million for two players who have cost them a total of £114.5 million in three years.
Lukaku moved to Stamford Bridge from Inter Milan for a massive £97.5 million, nearly setting a Premier League record, during the time of the transaction.
Victor Osimhen had previously been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, but the Blues currently lead the race to sign him.
