The two reasons why Chelsea did not sign Victor Osimhen on transfer deadline day.

Victor Osimhen failed to secure a move to the Premier League (Image: Getty).
Victor Osimhen remains a Napoli player after the European transfer window closed, with Chelsea failing to complete a deal for their long-term target.

The Blues have been linked with a move for Osimhen in recent years, and they attempted to bring him to Stamford Bridge again this summer.

They were looking for a player who has scored 76 goals in 133 appearances for Napoli, helping them win the Serie A title two years ago, and 21 goals in 35 games for Nigeria.

Chelsea were eager to sign Osimhen following Nicolas Jackson’s mixed first season at Stamford Bridge after his £32 million move from

Jackson scored in Chelsea’s 6-2 win over Wolves last weekend, but the Senegal striker’s form has been questioned throughout the 2023-24 season.

Osimhen has no such problem in front of goal, but he has remained at Napoli since the European transfer window closed.

Chelsea were still trying to reach an agreement with Napoli on deadline day, with a contingent from the Stamford Bridge club in Naples in the hopes of making a breakthrough.

However, the Blues fell short of their long-term goal, owing primarily to Osimhen’s failure to reduce his wage demands sufficiently to meet Chelsea halfway.

It was reported on Friday evening that Chelsea had offered Osimhen a contract worth €155,000 per week, which is less than his current salary at Napoli.

Osimhen, who drew interest from Chelsea’s London rivals Arsenal as well as Saudi Arabian clubs, refused to accept the pay cut despite rumours that he wanted to play in the Premier League.

As a result, Chelsea’s delegation left Napoli disappointed late on Friday evening, with Fabrizio Romano describing the parties’ relationships as ‘completely broken’.

A deal for Osimhen also fell through, as Chelsea began to focus on a move for Manchester United flop Jadon Sancho.

Chelsea saw the possibility of a ‘opportunistic’ move for Sancho near the end of the summer window and reached an agreement with Manchester United shortly before it closed.

Arsenal was also linked with a move for Osimhen as a potential upgrade over current first-choice striker Kai Havertz, but they decided against making an official move.

With the non-European transfer window open for another few days, Saudi powerhouse Al-Ahli could still sign Osimhen.

They agreed a deal with Napoli last week, but the striker has expressed reluctance to move there, though that stance may change now that a move to England is off the table.