Victor Osimhen transfer preference revealed as Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham keen on £128m star

Victor Osimhen transfer preference revealed as Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham keen on £128m star

Napoli centre-forward Victor Osimhen has been mooted as a potential transfer target for the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in recent times

Victor Osimhen would reportedly choose a transfer to Chelsea over the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. The Blues certainly hold an interest in Osimhen ahead of the January transfer window.

However, a move for the Nigerian international during the season is deemed unlikely at this stage, football.london understands. Meanwhile, the Gunners have a wealth of options in attack, with the likes of Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah all capable of operating upfront.

However, none of those mentioned above are as prolific in front of goal as Osimhen, who netted 26 goals in 32 Serie A outings last season to help fire Napoli to their first league title since 1990. Arsenal’s north London rivals, Spurs, sold star frontman Harry Kane during the summer transfer window, although they have looked more than capable without the England captain since.

Ange Postecoglou’s side sit fourth in the current standings, only three points behind league leaders Manchester City, with new club captain Son Heung-min already firing eight goals in the Premier League this term. Now, according to Evening Standard journalist Nizaar Kinsella, a move to west London is likelier than the northern part of the capital.

He told the London is Blue podcast: “It’s a bad market for strikers in January, and Osimhen is the striker that everyone wants. There’s no point in getting another young one now.

“He’d be a great fit, and Chelsea like him. Osimhen likes Chelsea, I had the information for a little while.

“He’s always loved Chelsea, loved [Didier] Drogba. They’ve got some similarities. He’d be interested in Manchester United, but they’re not going to sign a striker. It’s basically Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs competing in the battleground and Osimhen would probably pick Chelsea out of the three.”

But Osimhen, who could cost as much as £128million according to recent reports, isn’t the only centre-forward that appeals to Chelsea. In fact, the Blues are strongly considering making a mega-money offer to Brentford in the January transfer window for Ivan Toney, football.london understands.

The England international is set to return to action in the new year with his eight-month ban to come to an end. The 27-year-old was handed an eight-month suspension from all football-related activity back in May for breaching the FA’s rules regarding gambling.

But Toney is now close to returning to the field and he is looking to leave the Gtech Community Stadium in the new year, with Chelsea one of a number of clubs with an interest in the former Newcastle United striker.

The Blues have liked the clinical forward for a long time now and were considering making a move for him in the summer of 2022, prior to his long-term ban.