August 22nd 2024.
Antonio Conte, the head coach of Napoli, has set his sights on signing talented striker Romelu Lukaku. In order to make this happen, representatives from Napoli are flying to London today for important discussions with Chelsea regarding potential deals for the upcoming summer transfer window.
The Italian club is currently in negotiations with Chelsea to secure the services of Lukaku, while the Blues are also interested in bringing in Napoli's own star player, Victor Osimhen. Conte, who previously managed Chelsea, has worked with Lukaku at his previous clubs and is eager to reunite with the player.
On Monday, Napoli officially submitted their first bid for Lukaku, offering to take him on loan with an option to buy for £25.5m. However, Chelsea is looking for a permanent sale closer to Lukaku's £36m release clause. Despite their initial bid not being accepted, Chelsea is open to discussing the terms and conditions of the deal, especially since Lukaku has not played for them in over two years and they are looking to offload him.
Both clubs are determined to get this deal done, leading to a showdown meeting between their chiefs in London today. Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Napoli wants to finalize the Lukaku deal before discussing the potential sale of Osimhen.
Osimhen, who has scored 76 goals and provided 18 assists in 133 games for Napoli, has been a key player for the team since joining from French side Lille four years ago. His contributions helped Napoli secure the Serie A title in 2023 and he was also named Serie A Footballer of the Year and African Footballer of the Year last year.
However, Napoli is looking for a hefty sum of £85m if they are to let go of their star striker. This poses a challenge for Chelsea, especially with Arsenal showing renewed interest in Osimhen. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is looking to bolster his team's attack in their pursuit of the Premier League title, having narrowly missed out to Manchester City for the past two seasons.
This potential deal is further complicated by the fact that Chelsea's current striker, Eddie Nketiah, is on the verge of joining Nottingham Forest for £30m. With all these factors in play, it remains to be seen whether Napoli and Chelsea can come to an agreement and make these deals happen. Keep an eye out for more updates on this developing story.
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