Chelsea's Confidence in Signing Victor Osimhen Despite Lack of Champions League Offer

According to 90min, Chelsea is confident they can secure the signing of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, even if they do not offer Champions League football next season. The club has made Osimhen their top target for 2023, and they have been scouting the Nigerian for months. Chelsea is expected to make a club-record bid to sign Osimhen, who is also on the radar of Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester United, all of whom have reportedly contacted the striker's representatives. However, sources indicate that Chelsea is prepared to outbid their rivals and persuade Osimhen to come to London.

Osimhen has scored 21 goals in 23 games for Serie A leaders Napoli this season. Moving to England's capital city is of interest to Osimhen, and he is also a fan of Ivorian striker Didier Drogba, who is remembered as one of Chelsea's all-time greatest players.

Manchester United is still in contact with Osimhen's entourage, but they are reportedly focused on signing Tottenham striker Harry Kane. As for Bayern, they are unlikely to match Chelsea's bid for the Nigerian, while PSG's interest in Osimhen is not as advanced as Chelsea's.

Chelsea is keen to overhaul their struggling forward line and is already set to sign RB Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku. However, they see Nkunku as a better fit for the position behind a central striker and want to team him up with Osimhen.

Chelsea remains confident they will be able to recruit Osimhen, and his arrival would be partly funded by sales, with the likes of Conor Gallagher, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, and Hakim Ziyech among the high-profile names that could leave Stamford Bridge this summer. Mason Mount is another potential candidate for sale if he does not sign a contract extension, but the club holds renewed confidence about securing his future.

On the Talking Transfers podcast by 90min, Scott Saunders, Graeme Bailey, and Toby Cudworth discussed Liverpool missing out on Jude Bellingham, Chelsea potentially holding on to Mason Mount, Ryan Gravenberch interesting Manchester United and Arsenal, and more.

Additionally, there are previews of the Real Madrid vs. Chelsea Champions League quarter-final, player ratings from the AC Milan vs. Napoli Champions League quarter-final first leg, a Concacaf Champions League preview of Atlas vs. Philadelphia Union, and a history of Manchester City's attempt to win the Champions League.