Chelsea legend William Gallas has urged the club to prioritise the signing of Victor Osimhen in the summer if they want to get back to challenging at the top.
With the Blues set to miss out on qualifying for the UEFA Champions League, Gallas believes the club needs a proven forward like the Napoli man to return to the pinnacle of European football. Osimhen has been in the news in recent months, with the summer transfer window set to open in four weeks time. The Nigeria international has seen his stock rise meteorically since moving to Italy and has developed into one of the finest strikers in the world.
Having won the Serie A title with Napoli last season, it is increasingly looking like the 25-year-old will seek a new challenge at the end of the current campaign, with several clubs interested in signing him. While Osimhen has not openly communicated on where he will play next, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are reported to be the frontrunners for his signature.
The former Wolfsburg and Lille forward has been unable to hit the heights of last season, where he emerged as the top scorer in Italy and crossed the 30-goal mark, but has still managed 17 goals in all competitions this term, 15 of which have been in the Serie A.
Chelsea need ready-made striker like Victor Osimhen, says Gallas
PSG appear more desperate to sign Osimhen, with Kylian Mbappe set to leave the club at the end of the season, but reports linking the Napoli striker to Chelsea have also gathered pace in recent weeks and Gallas believes the Blues must go all out to sign the Nigerian.
Discussing some of the strike options that have been mentioned as potential Chelsea targets, the former France international said Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta, who has been linked, would not be a good fit at the club. He also expressed doubt over Nicolas Jackson’s long-tern suitability despite his 14 goals in the Premier League this season, while highlighting the Senegalese’s knack for missing big chances as a sign of him lacking the character to play for a big club like Chelsea.
Gallas, who lined up for the Blues from 2001 to 2006 and won two Premier League titles, however, urged the club to sign a ready-made striker like Victor Osimhen if they want to return to the Champions League and also challenge for big honours.
“Mateta is 26, and next season they need a player who has experience of playing in big games, to play in big occasions and I think it’s better to go for the likes of Victor Osimhen,” the 46-year-old told Genting Casino.
“They need a striker who can score goals, Nicolas Jackson has done okay though, scoring 14 in the Premier League. But, when you play at Chelsea, you have to score more, and important goals.
“You have to score in important games, and Jackson missed so many opportunities in the FA Cup semi-final against Man City. He had the opportunity, but didn’t take it. Next season, Chelsea need to reach the Champions League, and for that they need a big-name striker – they don’t have time to wait for Jackson to be ready.”
How Chelsea can afford Osimhen
Meanwhile, between PSG and Chelsea, the former is in a better financial position to afford the Nigeria international, especially with the windfall from Kylian Mbappe’s departure. The Ligue 1 champions will reportedly save close to €200 million in bonuses and loyalty payments after Mbappe decided not to extend his contract.
Chelsea, though, are currently walking on thin ice with regard to their spending after splashing nearly a billion euros in the last three transfer windows. In order not to breach the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules – which is punishable by points deduction – the Blues would have to use money generated from player sales to fund the transfer of Victor Osimhen.
La Gazzetta dello Sport, as republished by the Roma Press, reports that Chelsea have resolved to table a player plus cash offer in exchange for the 25-year-old. The Blues are reportedly prepared to send Romelu Lukaku, who is currently on loan at Roma, to Napoli in a bid to beat down the Italian side’s €130 million asking price.
In the end, Osimhen has a big decision to make regarding his future. While the Nigeria international has never hidden his desire to play in the Premier League, the lack of Champions League football at Chelsea could be a potential barrier and that could in turn be an advantage to PSG as the two teams prepare for a bidding war in the summer.
