Victor Osimhen's former team-mate hints he's chosen next club amid Chelsea and Arsenal transfer links

08/22/2024 08:03 AM

One of Victor Osimhen’s former team-mates has hinted the striker has already chosen his next club as he continues to be linked with Premier League rivals Chelsea and Arsenal.

Few players have been more heavily linked with a move this summer than Osimhen, who has attracted interest from Paris Saint-Germain as well as the London rivals.

Despite splashing the cash on several new summer signings, Chelsea are still in the market for a new striker following Nicolas Jackson’s somewhat underwhelming first season at Stamford Bridge.

Arsenal have less need for attacking reinforcements having scored 91 goals in the Premier League last season – five fewer than champions Manchester City – but could still look to strengthen Mikel Arteta’s squad before the summer transfer window shuts at the end of the month.

The Gunners are prioritising a move for Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino and are believed to be closing in on a deal for the Spain Euro 2024 winner.

But reports from earlier in the week said Arsenal have revived their interest in prolific forward Osimhen and are willing to rival Chelsea for the Nigerian.

Arteta has been urged to sign a new striker to provide competition and cover for Kai Havertz and Osimhen, who has scored 76 goals in 133 appearances for Napoli, would surely be at the top of the Spaniard’s shopping list.

Unfortunately for Arsenal, Chelsea are still believed to be at the front of the queue to sign Osimhen and one of his former team-mates has hinted a move to Stamford Bridge is close.

‘Osimhen to Chelsea… Here we go!!!’ ex-Nigeria midfielder John Ogu posted on X.

Ogu has regularly posted messages of support for Osimhen on social media, recently saying: ‘Osimhen is trending and he's trending for good. Anywhere you end up star boy, I will be rooting for you. I love you.’

Chelsea’s heavy spending has led the club to put more than 10 players up for sale this summer but they remain interested in signing a new striker.

Last week, ex-Arsenal and England winger Paul Merson urged Chelsea to ‘break the bank’ for Brentford’s Ivan Toney, claiming his presence would send the Blues back into the top-four.

Former Chelsea star John Obi Mikel, meanwhile, told Enzo Maresca to dip back into the transfer market and sign a ‘top striker’ following Jackson’s performance in the Premier League opener against Manchester City.

'We created chances, we haven't taken them. And just an example of how Jackson finishes,' the exasperated former midfielder said on beIN Sports.

'You can see there, even though he was offside, he dribbles past one or two or three players and the way he shot the ball!

'You need a striker who knows how to hit a ball back in the back of the net and that's what we don't have. I know I talk so much about him and sometimes I sound like I disrespect him. I don't disrespect him.

'I think at Chelsea Football Club we need a top striker who can get us a goal. A bit like [Haaland], 91 goals [for City] that's absolutely unbelievable.'

Chelsea’s potential move for Osimhen could hinge on Romelu Lukaku’s switch to Napoli, with both parties keen to get the deal done.

Lukaku completed a stunning €115m move to Stamford Bridge in 2021 but only scored 15 goals in 44 appearances during his second spell at the club.

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