Chelsea rekindle interest in Osimhen as he hits camp ahead of World Cup play-offs

ENGLISH Premier League champions Chelsea look set to put in another bid for Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen during the forthcoming January transfer window as the star forward hits Nigeria's training camp in Rabat ahead of Thursday's World cup play-off.

In the summer of 2024, a bitter battle raged to sign Osimhen, with Chelsea, Arsenal and PSG all involved in the race to get his signature. Chelsea emerged as the clear favourite to sign him after reaching an agreement with his Italian side Napoli but it appears that the club was unable to agree personal terms with the player, leading to the deal collapsing at the last minute.

Osimhen subsequently signed on loan for Turkish giants Galatasaray. Then, in January 29025, Chelsea sent former Super Eagles skipper Mikel Obi to Naples to see if he could seal a deal for Osimhen but when the two sides could not reach an agreement, he striker ended up signing a permanent deal with Galatasaray.

However, since moving to Turkey, Osimhen, 26 has been in red hot form for both club and country, scoring hat tricks with frightening regularity. This has prompted Chelsea to rekindle their long-standing pursuit of the striker despite having previously hesitated on finalising a deal due to his steep wage demands.

At the moment, Osimhen is set to be one of the most sought-after properties in the 2026 summer transfer window, with Europe’s elite preparing massive offers. In the past, Chelsea could not sign him because the club was reportedly unwilling to meet his high annual wage demands, believed to be around €15m a year.

Galatasaray, who seized the opportunity, making Osimhen their most expensive signing in history by agreeing to a substantial €75m transfer fee, would be the big beneficiary if Chelsea finally decided to buy the striker. Osimhen has already netted nine times in just 12 matches this season, including a league-leading six goals in the Uefa Champions League.

This persistent excellence has caught the attention of nearly every major club. According to Turkish publication Fanatik, Barcelona, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are all eager to sign the striker next summer.

Clubs in Saudi Arabia are also expected to renew their interest in Osimhen next year, with the Galatasaray star potentially receiving contract proposals that could exceed €43m per annum. No doubt, several of these clubs will be watching Osimhen at this week's World Cup play-off in Morocco where Nigeria will face Gabon in the semi finals and should the Eagles win, the winner of Cameroon versus DR Congo in the final.

This afternoon, Osimhen arrived at the Rabat camp and will train with his team mates this evening ahead of Thursday's game. Should Nigeria win the play-off final, the Eagles will feature in an inter-continental play-off in Mexico in March, from which two teams will qualify for the 2026 World Cup.