Chelsea will only have to pay £103m (€120m) for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, according to the Daily Mail.

It has been widely claimed that the Nigerian’s release clause is €130m (£112m) but the tabloid’s journalist Sami Mokbel (who has a good track record), says that the Blues could get the player for £9m less than reported.

In addition, Osimhen is said to be “open” to joining the Blues, even though Mauricio Pochettino’s side sit midtable in the Premier League.

While a transfer in January is still seen as unlikely, there is now growing confidence that the forward will move to Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.

Talks have been held with Osimhen’s agent

It was reported earlier this week that Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali had had “positive” discussions with the 24-year-old’s representative in recent days.

At the moment, it is felt that the London club do have the edge over rival clubs in negotiations for Osimhen. The likes of Arsenal and Real Madrid have also been credited with an interest in the player.

The lower cost of the deal will ease any concerns that Chelsea have about FFP

Activating a buyout clause requires the purchasing club to pay the full amount upfront. In some circumstances, an alternative arrangement can be found that would allow a team to pay in installments, as happened when Chelsea signed Nicolas Jackson last year.

However, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is a tough negotiator so there is a good chance he will not accept anything less £103m. That is still lower than the figure that was reported originally and it may help the Blues get the deal over the line.

The London club still have to be very mindful of complying with Financial Fair Play regulations so this development can only be a positive.