Victor Osimhen’s Agent Denies Chelsea Loan Rumors Amid Transfer Talks

Victor Osimhen’s agent, Roberto Calenda, has dismissed recent reports linking the Nigerian striker with a loan move to Chelsea, amid ongoing transfer negotiations with the Premier League giants. Calenda’s comments come in response to Tuesday’s speculation reported by The Athletic, which suggested that a deal was in the works involving Romelu Lukaku moving to Napoli permanently while Osimhen would go the other way to join Chelsea on loan with an option to buy.

Transfer market guru Fabrizio Romano shared Calenda’s strong reaction, with the agent branding the reports as “fantasy exchanges” and emphasizing the importance of Osimhen, who played a key role in Napoli’s historic Scudetto win in 2023. “Respect and stop fake news!” Calenda asserted, highlighting the top scorer’s value.

Fabrizio Romano also reported that the player is opposed to a loan move without a mandatory purchase clause and will not accept a salary reduction to join any team. Meanwhile, New Napoli coach, Antonio Conte is focused solely on securing Romelu Lukaku to be the main man in attack for his team next season, when the Italian league resumes on Saturday, August 17.

As Napoli and Chelsea continue discussions over a potential player-plus-cash deal involving Osimhen and Lukaku, the Italian club is exploring options to finalize the transfer. Napoli is looking for solutions to meet Osimhen’s £110 million price tag and are considering Chelsea’s offer, though Arsenal has also shown renewed interest in the striker. However, Arsenal’s financial limitations may hinder their ability to compete with Chelsea’s bid. Meanwhile, talks with Paris Saint-Germain fell through recently due to issues with Osimhen’s release clause and Napoli’s conditions on the deal.