Transfer News: Chelsea to bid for £181M duo in the summer

The Pensioners are the front runner to beat Premier League rivals to Napoli striker and Nigerian International Victor Osimhen in the summer.

Osimhen has scored 25 goals in all competitions this season with the Nigeria international bagging 21 of those in 23 Serie A matches and a number of clubs are taking a serious interest, including Chelsea’s Premier League rivals Manchester United.

Chelsea now regard the 24-year-old as a primary target as they pursue another physical forward’ with Osimhen aware of interest from the Blues.

It is learnt that Man Utd are still thinking between Osimhen and Tottenham striker Harry Kane and the report adds that Chelsea ‘may have a small emotive edge in that Osimhen grew up idolising Blues legend Didier Drogba’

There have been rumours that Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis could ask for as much as £150m for the Nigerian and Chelsea and Man Utd’s dealings with him as their ‘biggest challenge’.

Barcelona wing-back Alejandro Balde is also the subject of interest from Chelsea with the Spaniard’s contract expiring at the Camp Nou in 2024.

It is understood ‘negotiations are on the right track’ over a new contract for Balde – who is valued at around £31m but they are not closed and Barcelona still have salary limit problems that leaves Chelsea and other clubs with the chance to swoop in for Balde with Sport insisting that Blues defender Ben Chilwell could be out at the end of the season.