
It is no longer news that Victor Osimhen had a last minute chance to sign for Chelsea after the deal Saudi deal fell apart but the London side has come out with its explanation.
PeakNews Online gathered that in a recent press conference, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca shed light on why the club did not intensify efforts to secure Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, amid reports of a salary offer deemed “insulting” by the player.
The Blues had been in the market for a new striker throughout the summer, with Osimhen, the Nigerian international, widely expected to be a primary target.
However, serious negotiations only commenced in the final days of the transfer window, and a deal could not be finalized before the deadline on Friday evening.
Maresca emphasized the club’s stance on transfer negotiations, stating, “We want players, but we want players that we decide on our conditions. If the players are not here, then that means the conditions were not good for us.”
When asked if Chelsea might revisit the situation in January, Maresca remained non-committal. “Yeah, we’ll see now, from here to January. I don’t know how many games we have, but I’ve told you many times I like to focus on the next days. So we will see in January.”
Osimhen currently earns over €10 million per season at Napoli, while Chelsea’s offer reportedly included only €4 million in guaranteed pay, plus €2 million in performance-related bonuses and an additional €2 million if the team qualified for the Champions League. This package amounted to less than half of his current salary, which the striker found unacceptable.
Earlier on Friday, Osimhen had reportedly agreed to a €40 million per season contract with Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli, but the deal fell through when Napoli demanded an extra €5 million in bonuses.
The missed opportunity leaves Chelsea continuing their search for a striker as they navigate the rest of the Premier League season.