Arsenal could beat Chelsea to Serie A superstar, with summer bid expected: report

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Arsenal could see off London rivals Chelsea for a top target this summer, with Gunners expected to bid for Serie A superstar

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta applauds after a game against Chelsea in October 2023.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Arsenal may end up frustrating London rivals Chelsea this summer, with a bid from the Gunners now reportedly "expected" for one of the Blues' top transfer targets.

Both Arsenal and Chelsea are in the market for a striker this summer and while the Gunners have been strongly linked with RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, the north London club could have an ace up their sleeve.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Napoli are "expecting" a bid from Arsenal for their star striker Victor Osimhen, who is a long-time target for Chelsea.

Arsenal and Chelsea have both been linked with Napoli's Victor Osimhen.

Arsenal and Chelsea have both been linked with Napoli's Victor Osimhen. (Image credit: Franco Romano/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The Italian outlet claim Arsenal will bid for Osimhen, despite not having currently made contact with Napoli over the Nigerian ahead of the summer window.

Osimhen was linked with a move away from Napoli ahead of the January window, but signed a new deal with last year's Italian champions and any clubs who wants to sign the striker is expected to have to pay his £113 million release clause.

With wages of around €10m (£8.5m or roughly £160,000 per week), the financial package will be high for any prospective buyer and Osimhen is also understood to be considering a move to the Saudi Pro League. 

Osimhen, who joined Napoli from Lille in 2020, scored 17 goals in 32 appearances for the Italian club last season in what was a much more disappointing campaign fr the Serie A side.

The Nigerian is still only 25 years old and is being tracked by a number of Europe's elite clubs.

In FourFourTwo's view, the large fee and financial package would seem set to price Arsenal out of a move for the Nigerian, with a transfer to Chelsea still more likely. However, the Blues are without Champions League football next season and Osimhen may favour the Gunners' project. If brought in, he could certainly be the man to take Mikel Arteta's side to the next level in 2024/25.

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Ben Hayward
Ben Hayward
Weekend editor

Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.