Former Chelsea winger Florent Malouda has made a compelling case for the club to target Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen in the upcoming winter transfer window.
Currently on a season-long loan at Galatasaray after missing out on a permanent transfer from Napoli in the summer, Osimhen had been linked with a move to Chelsea for several months. However, a breakdown in negotiations ultimately prevented the deal from materialising.
Although the 25-year-old's loan deal with the Turkish club is for a season, it includes a break clause allowing him to leave in January if any of his preferred European clubs express interest and are willing to meet his buyout clause of €75 million (£63.2 million).
Malouda, who made 229 appearances for Chelsea and won both the Premier League and Champions League during his time at Stamford Bridge, believes that securing Osimhen would significantly enhance Chelsea's ambitions to compete at the highest level.
Malouda advocates for Osimhen transfer to elevate Chelsea's competitive edge
Speaking to Coin Poker, Malouda urged Chelsea to seize any opportunity to bring Osimhen to Stamford Bridge in January.
“We almost signed Victor Osimhen in the summer, and he is the type of player that would add extra quality to this Chelsea team,” Malouda said.
“If there is an opportunity to bring him in in January, then I think the club has to look at it. From what I’ve read, he will cost less than the numbers that were quoted in the summer – the fee is reportedly in the region of £70m.
“Galatasaray would hate to lose him, but he’s a Napoli player and the noises coming out of Naples recently indicate that her will be available in January.
“Chelsea should be competing for the world’s best players. Osimhen is in that category. You want to see the club add more quality to its team because that is what every ambitious club does, and his addition would bring Chelsea a step closer to the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal.
“It seems like the player wants to come to Chelsea. We’ll see if we can get him, but I would love the club to move for him because a lot of things can happen between now and January. There could be competition to bring him in – I would love to see the club working on a deal for him. Osimhen would be a great addition to the squad.”
