Newcastle to battle Chelsea for Osimhen in summer

Premier League giants Newcastle United have joined Chelsea in the race to sign Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen, with Napoli prepared to sell the Nigerian when his loan spell at Galatasaray ends this summer, NewsNGR Sports Extra reports.

The 26-year-old, who has netted 17 goals in 22 appearances for the Turkish league leaders, has attracted interest from several English clubs and Saudi Arabian teams.

Newcastle, who previously withdrew from negotiations last summer due to Osimhen’s £113m price tag, have renewed their interest with the striker’s release clause now reportedly dropping to around £60m.

However, the Magpies face concerns over the Nigerian’s wages, with Osimhen having earned over £200,000 per week at Napoli before accepting a reduced salary of £110,000 at Galatasaray.

Arsenal, who initially tried to sign Osimhen in 2016 following his heroics at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, are also monitoring the situation but have reportedly shifted their focus to Newcastle’s Alexander Isak.

The potential arrival of Osimhen at St James’ Park could pave the way for Isak’s departure, with the Gunners among those interested in the Swedish striker.

Osimhen joined Galatasaray on loan from Napoli last summer without an option to buy following a fallout with the Italian club’s hierarchy, which also saw him walk away from potential moves to Chelsea and Saudi Arabia due to personal terms.

Despite having a clause in his loan agreement that allowed for a January exit, the striker chose to remain in Turkey, where he has helped Galatasaray maintain a six-point lead at the top of the Super Lig while also impressing in the Europa League with five goals in six appearances.

The Turkish giants recently had a €65m bid for a permanent deal rejected by Napoli, with club president Aurelio De Laurentiis reportedly insisting on a higher fee for the forward who still has over two years left on his contract with the Serie A side.