Osimhen’s £500,000-a-week wage demand stalls Chelsea move

Chelsea’s pursuit of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen has encountered a significant obstacle due to the Nigerian international’s extraordinary wage demands.

According to SunSport, Osimhen is seeking a £500,000-a-week salary, which would make him the highest-paid player in the Premier League—a figure the Chelsea board, led by Todd Boehly, is unwilling to meet.

The Blues have been in negotiations with Napoli and Osimhen representatives throughout the summer but have yet to reach an agreement. Despite ongoing discussions, Chelsea has struggled to align with Osimhen’s financial expectations. The club has explored various options, including loan deals and leveraging Romelu Lukaku as part of the transfer, but Napoli has dismissed these proposals.

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Chelsea initially proposed a loan move for the 25-year-old Nigerian striker, as they are reluctant to meet his £110 million release clause. However, Napoli rejected the offer and secured a separate £38 million deal to sign Romelu Lukaku. Chelsea’s attempt to include Lukaku in the deal for Osimhen also failed to bring a resolution.

British journalist Matt Hughes has highlighted that Chelsea’s pursuit of Osimhen is in jeopardy due to the striker’s inflexible wage demands. “Victor Osimhen is demanding £500,000-a-week to join Chelsea, and this is causing the negotiations to stall,” tweeted CFCBlueNews, citing Hughes.

Chelsea, actively working to reduce their wage bill, appears unlikely to accommodate Osimhen’s financial requirements. The club has already implemented measures to cut costs, including sidelining high-earning players like Raheem Sterling.

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Osimhen, who has reportedly submitted a formal transfer request, is also attracting interest from French giants Paris Saint-Germain. With the transfer window nearing its close, Chelsea is exploring other striker options. Juventus’ Federico Chiesa and Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin are considered more affordable alternatives to Osimhen.

With the No. 9 shirt still available at Stamford Bridge, the Blues remain in search of a top striker to bolster their attacking options before the deadline. However, Chelsea’s chances of landing Osimhen appear slim, given their efforts to reduce the wage bill and the presence of other potential targets.