Chelsea are reportedly on the verge of securing a significant deal for Victor Osimhen, which could see two of their players heading to Napoli in exchange.
The Blues have been in search of a new striker throughout the summer and have intensified their efforts to land Osimhen following the collapse of a late move for Atletico Madrid’s Samu Omorodion. The 25-year-old Osimhen has expressed his desire to leave Napoli, who are keen to bring in Romelu Lukaku as his replacement.
In an attempt to lower Osimhen’s estimated £100 million price tag, Chelsea is using Lukaku as a key part of the negotiation. However, Lukaku isn’t the only player involved in the deal, as Chelsea has also included midfielder Cesare Casadei in the discussions.
According to The Sun, Chelsea could potentially acquire Osimhen for just £39 million, with Lukaku and Casadei heading to Napoli as part of the deal. Napoli manager Antonio Conte is reportedly eager to reunite with Lukaku, having previously managed him at Inter Milan.
Lukaku, currently training with Chelsea’s reserve team, is expected to leave, with the club keen to offload his £325,000-a-week salary. Chelsea has been holding out for a £37 million bid, which would be used to negotiate down Osimhen’s transfer fee.
While Lukaku’s exit is anticipated, Casadei’s inclusion in the deal comes as more of a surprise. The 21-year-old Italian was among the first signings of the Todd Boehly era and was expected to make a significant impact at Chelsea. Despite his success in Inter Milan’s academy and being highly regarded by figures like Maurizio Viscidi, Casadei’s performances in England have been less impressive, both at Chelsea and during loan spells in the Championship.
This rumored involvement in the Osimhen deal suggests that Chelsea’s expectations for Casadei have diminished, even though the club recalled him from a loan spell at Leicester last season, believing he could contribute to the first team. Former manager Mauricio Pochettino had high hopes for Casadei, but the club now seems to have reconsidered by offering him to Napoli.
