Osimhen’s potential move to Chelsea is threatened by the striker’s outrageous wage demand of £500,000 a week, Punch Sports Extra reports.
The Nigerian international is expected to leave Napoli this summer after he reportedly handed a transfer request to the club.
However, his move to Stamford Bridge largely depends on whether he would reduce his wage demands.
Paris Saint-Germain are also keen on signing the forward, while Arsenal are said to be monitoring the situation, looking for an opportunity to concretise their interest.
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Osimhen, who joined Napoli from Lille in 2020, signed a new contract with the Azzurri in December 2023, which earns him a monthly salary of £1.29m, almost doubling his previous earning.
The Nigerian’s new salary was a reward for his performance in the 2022/23 season, where he inspired Napoli to a first Serie A title in 33 years and also capping it off with the league top scorer award with 26 goals.
Despite his desire to leave Diego Maradona Stadium this summer, Osimhen, according to reliable transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, will not take a pay cut to facilitate his move to Chelsea.
The Italian earlier this month hinted that talks could go down to the final week of the transfer window and that the future of the Super Eagles striker was yet to be sorted out.
According to The Sun, Osimhen has reportedly asked for £500,000-a-week wages before he completes a move to Chelsea, a salary the Blues may be reluctant to pay as they look to reduce their wage bill this season, which is one of the main reasons they have decided to offload Raheem Sterling.
If the London club agreed to the striker’s demands, it would make him the highest-earning player in the Premier League.
Chelsea have signed Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid but are still in dire need of a striker capable of guaranteeing them goals. They are intensifying their search with less than a week until the close of the transfer window.
The club has been negotiating with Napoli and Osimhen’s representatives in the entire summer but has failed to reach an agreement. They initially proposed a loan deal to Napoli, being unwilling to match the player’s release clause, which is set at €130 million.
However, Osimhen’s £500,000-a-week demand has truncated talks between both parties, and Chelsea may end their interest in the striker.
