Napoli are considering signing Romelu Lukaku as part of talks with Chelsea over Victor Osimhen, according to The Athletic.
Negotiations are taking place between the two clubs that would see Chelsea land the Nigerian strker, with a season-long loan and an option to buy for next summer being touted, as the Blues try to fix their striker woes by signing one of Europe's top marksmen.
Lukaku, meanwhile, would move to Italy on a permanent basis after a failed second stint at Stamford Bridge, having joined for a club-record £97.5 million ($125m) fee in 2021.
The Belgian, who is expected to return to Chelsea training this week after spending the past two seasons on loan at Inter Milan and Roma in Serie A, has two years left on his current deal.
Given he is among the players who have not traveled to the U.S. for the Blues' preseason tour, a return to Italy could soon be in the picture.
A new striker is believed to be high on the priority list of those within the Chelsea front office. Osimhen, who has been a prolific source of goals for Napoli in Serie A and the Champions League, is said to be a long-standing transfer target for the club.
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Why Chelsea must sign Victor Osimhen: How striker compares with Nicolas Jackson
The Blues brought in Nicolas Jackson from Spanish side Villarreal for €37 million ($40m) on a permanent deal last summer and he had mixed success in his first Premier League campaign despite scoring 14 goals.
The Senegalese forward splits the opinion of the Chelsea fanbase. At times, the striker has looked scintillating, but too often he has been wasteful with his finishing.
COMPARED: Victor Osimhen vs. Nicolas Jackson per 90 during the 2023/24 league season. 🕶 https://t.co/BbBEK1Phhh pic.twitter.com/zjMLI6U2Wu
— Squawka (@Squawka) July 30, 2024
Having a centre-forward who is unreliable in front of goal is hardly an ideal situation for new boss Enzo Maresca, as he will have to find a consistent source of goals from other areas.
There's no denying that some of the criticism levelled at the 22-year-old was harsh last season. You can't fault Jackson's effort, but a Premier League striker must be more clinical and less erratic when granted big chances.
As a result, Chelsea desperately need an elite No. 9 like Osimhen if they want to get out of the slump they have been in since Todd Boehly took over the club.
Osimhen has proven himself to be a prolific goal scorer, consistently finding the back of the net in recent seasons. Since joining Napoli in 2020, he's scored 65 times in 108 league appearances.
His impressive tally of 31 goals in 39 games in 2022/23 helped them end their 33-year wait for a Serie A title in the 2022/23 campaign. Osimhen's skillset is much more diverse than Jackson's as he is equally adept in aerial duels and a high-volume shot taker.
MORE: Enzo Maresca details Chelsea plans for impressive youngster
The goals dried up a little during a generally difficult 2023/24 for Napoli — Osimhen scored 15 times in the league as the Partenopei finished down in 10th place — but the relatively cost-effective terms of the proposed deal make this a no-brainer for Chelsea.