Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has shed light on why the club’s pursuit of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen did not materialize during the recent transfer window. Despite persistent links between Chelsea and Osimhen, the deal ultimately fell through on deadline day.
Maresca revealed that the club had set specific conditions for any potential signing, and Osimhen’s demands did not align with these terms. “We want players, but we wanted a player that we decide it has to be on our conditions. If a player is not here then it was not,” Maresca stated after Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.
Reports had suggested that Osimhen was seeking a weekly wage of £500,000, significantly above Chelsea’s wage structure. This financial disparity appears to have been the primary obstacle in completing the transfer.
However, Maresca did not rule out the possibility of signing a new striker in the January transfer window, leaving the door open for a potential future move for Osimhen. “New striker in January? We will see,” he added.
The situation has left Osimhen in a precarious position at Napoli, with reports indicating he has been excluded from the squad. Former Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has even suggested that reconciliation between Osimhen and Napoli seems unlikely at this point.
