Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has addressed recent media speculation regarding the club’s potential interest in acquiring Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix.
Maresca exercised caution when discussing potential
transfers during his initial pre-match press conference of the Premier League
season, prior to their 2024/25 week 1 match against Manchester City on Sunday.
“The only thing I can say, I have to say the same: They are
not our players, so it’s not correct to talk about a Napoli player or an
Atletico Madrid player,” Maresca stated.
The Blues have been actively exploring potential
acquisitions to reinforce their attacking options for the current season.
Recent reports indicate that a €45 million bid for Felix from Atletico Madrid
was declined.
Despite the recent addition of Pedro Neto from Wolves for
£51.3 million, the club’s forward line already includes notable players such as
Raheem Sterling, Mykhailo Mudryk, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, and Christopher
Nkunku. However, Neto’s injury history necessitates cautious management of his
workload, which raises the possibility of further additions.
Osimhen has consistently been mentioned as a primary target
for the London club. Notably, two of the club’s legendary figures, Mikel Obi
and Didier Drogba, have reportedly engaged in efforts to persuade the Nigerian
striker to join Stamford Bridge.
“We want somebody who can finish, score goals, the tap-ins.
Someone like Erling Haaland,” Mikel said recently. “That’s something Victor
Osimhen will bring to Chelsea. I hope that Chelsea fans will finally see him
come to the club.”
Osimhen, a 25-year-old Nigerian striker, has demonstrated
exceptional performance in Serie A. Notably, he secured the Capocannoniere
award during the 2022/23 season by scoring 26 goals. His potential acquisition
presents a promising solution to Chelsea’s persistent challenges in the forward
position.
Although Mr. Maresca refrained from disclosing specific
transfer targets, his guarded response implies that Chelsea may pursue
additional transactions during this transfer window in their pursuit of a title
challenge.
Initially, Napoli insisted on the activation of Osimhen’s
complete release clause, valued at £113 million. However, recent reports
indicate that the Italian club might consider a swap arrangement involving
Romelu Lukaku, Cesare Casadei, and additional monetary compensation. This
development aligns with the interest expressed by Napoli’s new coach, Antonio
Conte, in acquiring Lukaku.