Chelsea want to sign new players this summer but they won’t be signing one of the most in-demand forwards in the world as it stands.
The Blues have spent a fortune in recent windows and want to spend again this summer, albeit with PSR hanging over them, sales will be needed as well.
Having appointed new manager Enzo Maresca to replace Mauricio Pochettino, there is now expectation from the board to give Maresca the players needed to win.
Of course, landing a top striker is a priority for every manager in the world.
But according journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, one player who Chelsea are refusing to pay for right now is Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen.
Chelsea unwilling to match £12m wage demands from Victor Osimhen
Speaking on Sky Sports ahead of this weekend’s Champions League final, Italian journalist Di Marzio insisted that the wage demands from Osimhen’s end are simply too high.
“Aurelio De Laurentis, Napoli chairman, I think he should ask less money for his striker because he has a very high salary, 12m Euros, net, for next season. That’s the reason why Chelsea didn’t go forward,” Di Marzio said.
“They had a meeting with the agent of Osimhen but they didn’t find an agreement on the salary. So this high salary is a problem and this is why I think Osimhen will go for less than the release clause (130m Euros)”
Osimhen might be worth it
At the end of the day, top strikers cost the big money and we’ve seen over at Manchester City what the impact of Erling Haaland has been.
City pay Haaland a fortune in wages and ultimately, they get their monies worth with the goals he scores.
When it comes to the ‘world-class’ Victor Osimhen, or a player of similar quality, Chelsea might simply have to stump up the cash and get the deal done.
If they want to really progress and become a team who can challenge the very best in England, then a top striker is needed.
And in fairness, Chelsea will have paid other players not even on the same level of Osimhen plenty of money and more in the past.