Reportedly, Arsenal and Chelsea withdrew from the contest to sign Victor Osimhen. The major reason Premier League teams have chosen to back off Napoli’s exorbitant asking price for the Nigerian striker appears to be Aiming to finance a major transfer spree with the earnings, Napoli anticipated a bidding battle for Osimhen early in the transfer season. For many possible purchasers, however, their €130 million release clause for the player has proved to be a formidable obstacle.
Arsenal And Chelsea Will Now Not Sign This €100 Million Player
Though they balked from Napoli’s lofty expectations, paying just €70 million, PSG came close to moving for Osimhen. Though Arsenal and Chelsea have made it plain they won’t fit those criteria, Napoli, nevertheless optimistic, might take bids between €100 million and €130 million under consideration. Signing Samu Omorodion marks a change of emphasis from Osimhen for Chelsea away from Arsenal, however, is unlikely to pay such a hefty price, particularly with other outstanding prospects like Viktor Gyokeres under observation.
Arsenal’s strategy has been conservative. Mikel Arteta is happy with his present attacking line; any new striker signing would probably need unloading Eddie Nketiah first. The Gunners are obviously more concerned in running their team than they are with flitting around Osimhen.
For Chelsea, the matter is more convoluted. Their hunt of Romelu Lukaku depends on Napoli’s choice of Osimhen. Should Osimhen remain, Napoli will not be available for Lukaku, leaving Chelsea with the Belgian striker they so much need offloaded. Chelsea’s transfer ambitions might be seriously disrupted by this stand-still.
Napoli’s great expectations of Osimhen have had a knock-on impact for other teams. Arsenal’s caution might pay off over time by preventing an exorbitant deal. If the dominoes fall against Chelsea, on the other hand, they can find themselves in a difficult position with a striker they no longer want.
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Arsenal wants to complete a significant deal before the Premier League starts. The Gunners have approached the transfer market more relaxed back than in past summers. The mid-tour signing of Riccardo Calafiori and David Raya’s permanent relocation mirror this approach. But urgency is seeping in only one week before confronting Wolves.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta still has a few players on his wish list. According to a fresh Noticias de Gipuzkoa story, Arsenal is worried by Liverpool’s interest in Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad. Although Mikel Merino already has a deal with the Gunners, they worry Liverpool may move quicker.
Although Merino’s release clause is €65 million, Arsenal wants to negotiate a cheaper price, hoping for around half of that figure. Should Liverpool activate Zubimendi’s €55 million release clause, the matter becomes more difficult. Reluctant to lose two important players in one deal, Real Sociedad would most certainly turn down Arsenal’s offer.
For Arsenal, losing Merino at this point would be a major setback. The Gunners want to improve their midfield choices before the season starts. Spanish writer Kike Marin claims Merino missed the preseason trip to Germany in expectation of a trade. This lack feeds rumors of a near-deal.