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Chelsea are still in the process of finalizing a deal for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, despite reports suggesting they had shifted their focus to other attacking options.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has confirmed that the former Lille striker is set to leave, despite signing a new contract until 2026 last year.
Osimhen's contract is believed to include a release clause of approximately £113m, and Napoli will be unable to prevent an interested party from triggering that option in the coming weeks.
Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Arsenal are the frontrunners to sign the Nigerian international, with Arsenal unlikely to pay a nine-figure sum for his services.
A recent report suggested that new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca does not see Osimhen as a perfect fit for his system, and is instead looking for a striker who can drop deep and link play rather than being an out-and-out target man.
Chelsea's concerns about breaching Profit and Sustainability rules could also impact their ability to sign Osimhen, who has been linked to filling Kylian Mbappe's shoes at PSG.
Despite these challenges, CaughtOffside claims that Chelsea are persisting in their efforts to attract the 25-year-old to Stamford Bridge and are making gradual progress in the competitive race.
While PSG's interest in Osimhen is well-known, the Ligue 1 champions have reportedly not yet made an offer for the striker, and it remains to be seen if Napoli will lower their £113m demands.
However, Chelsea may have an advantage as Napoli, now managed by Antonio Conte, are reportedly interested in bringing Romelu Lukaku to the club as a replacement for Osimhen.
Lukaku thrived at Inter Milan under Conte's leadership but has not been able to replicate his success elsewhere.
