Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali has held discussions with the agent of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

Writing on his Substack page, Phillips says that initial talks were “positive”, with the Nigerian international “open” to making the move to Stamford Bridge:

“Chelsea have had contact with Osimhen’s entourage in recent weeks/days to discuss the possibility of the Napoli striker joining Chelsea. The feedback they have had is positive, with there being an understanding that Osimhen would be open to joining Chelsea.”

“Behdad Eghbali has initiated this contact and now has good relations with Osimhen’s agent. Now, that doesn’t mean Chelsea are 100% signing Osimhen, and it doesn’t mean that he would also not be open to joining other clubs if they come in.”

Will Chelsea sign Osimhen in January?

Phillips also claims a source has told him that the Blues are still hoping to do a deal for the forward this month but that is very unlikely to happen.

Osimhen signed a new contract in December and, while it reportedly includes a €130m (£112m) release clause, that can only be activated at the end of the season. If they want to sign the player in January, Chelsea would have to negotiate with Napoli, who would demand a lot more than his current buyout fee.

There is competition for the striker

Considering that Osimhen is up there with the best No.9s in world football, it is not a surprise that he is in high demand. The likes of Arsenal, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have also been mentioned as potential suitors in recent months.

With the release clause in place, it means the Nigerian will almost certainly be on the move next summer, but Chelsea have a lot more work to do to get this deal over the line.