Chelsea will enter both transfer markets in 2024 in search of a striker and transfer expert Ben Jacobs has provided an update on where the West London club are at with their search. 

The Blues signed Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal this summer, who has originally meant to provide backup to Christopher Nkunku, but the French star picked up a serious injury during pre-season which has kept him out of action ever since.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side have struggled to score goals at times this season, with Chelsea netting just 13 so far, half of what Aston Villa and Newcastle have managed.

Two names that have been linked to Stamford Bridge have been Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney and journalist Ben Jacobs has an update on Pochettino’s search for a number nine.

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Ben Jacobs on Chelsea’s search for a striker

Writing in his latest exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Jacobs said that Chelsea have a chance of landing Toney but Osimhen will be nearly impossible.

The journalist said: “Chelsea do want another striker in 2024 but no final decision has been made yet as to whether to move in January or wait until summer. There is faith in Nicolas Jackson and Armando Broja and a feeling within the club that Christopher Nkunku’s return from a knee injury could make all the difference.

“It will be near impossible for Chelsea to sign Victor Osimhen mid-season. Although the Nigerian forward hasn’t extended his Napoli contract, Aurelio De Laurentiis just doesn’t want to sell in January. There’s no doubt Osimhen will leave for over €100m if he doesn’t extend, but Napoli are prepared to wait until summer unless they receive an astronomical offer.

“Ivan Toney is a more ‘gettable’ target in January. Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs have all held internal discussions about him. Brentford want at least £65m, but several sources feel that number could be closer to £80m.”

The post Exclusive: Transfer expert says £80m Chelsea target is “gettable” in January but Osimhen ruled out appeared first on CaughtOffside.

The case of Victor Osimhen and Napoli is a strange one indeed, given that the club are believed to have offered him the highest salary in club history but then mocked him on social media.

That’s not the way to treat your best players and from Osimhen’s own point of view, he’ll know that he could walk into just about any other side in European football and improve them, so it would very much be Napoli’s loss were that to happen.

It’s a story that does appear to get stranger by the day too.

The official Napoli website were even forced into making a statement after club president, Aurelio De Laurentiis had suggested that Osimhen wasn’t interested in signing the new contract offered.

The statement simply confirmed that the president hadn’t said anything negative about the player, but the fact that the club felt it needed to clarify the position is a strange one indeed.

Now, however, things could be set to work out between club and player, which would disappoint both Liverpool and Chelsea.

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Nov 1 2023, 7:53

England international to spark £80m bidding war between Arsenal and Chelsea

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The Reds were linked with a move for Osimhen by the Mirror whilst the Blues interest is noted by ESPN.

According to Il Mattino (h/t Fichajes), the concession by the club to allow Osimhen to visit Nigeria for a few days has softened the relationship between the parties and has given rise to the notion that the player may once again be willing to commit his future to the Partnopei.

The post Napoli’s personal concession to Osimhen could see Liverpool and Chelsea disappointed appeared first on CaughtOffside.

There remains a lot of speculation surrounding where Napoli’s Victor Osimhen might end up next should he decide to leave the Partnopei.

The 24-year-old has yet to sign a contract extension with the Serie A champions and, whilst that’s not out of the question, it has led to suggestions he could soon be on the move.

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Exclusive: Arsenal had two transfer suitors for important squad player this summer, says Fabrizio Romano

Nov 1 2023, 8:07

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England international to spark £80m bidding war between Arsenal and Chelsea

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Speaking to the Calcio Napoli 24 crew on their Twitch channel, he was asked, hypothetically, about a switch.

Without giving anything else away he noted that he’d prefer a move to MLS over the Saudi Pro League, if the terms were the same.

Pictures from Calcio Napoli 24

The post Video: Victor Osimhen’s surprising preferred destination if he leaves Napoli appeared first on CaughtOffside.

During a recent Q&A with Mario Balotelli and others, Napoli hit man, Victor Osimhen, was put on the spot regarding this year’s Ballon d’Or winner.

The ceremony takes place on Monday and it’s believed that Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi has won an historic eighth title.

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England international to spark £80m bidding war between Arsenal and Chelsea

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However, after ripping up the Premier League’s goalscoring record books and helping to win the treble for Man City, Erling Haaland would seem to be the choice of many.

Osimhen sat on the fence when asked and wouldn’t commit to one or the other saying that they “both deserve it.”

Pictures from Calcio Napoli 24

The post Video: Napoli’s Victor Osimhen forced to choose between Messi and Haaland for Ballon d’Or appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Fabrizio Romano has taken to his exclusive Daily Briefing column to discuss Chelsea’s January transfer plans in attack and defence.

According to the transfer news expert, Chelsea could be keen to sign either Victor Osimhen or Ivan Toney up front, with reinforcements in attack looking like a clear priority for the Blues after a difficult start to the season relying on unconvincing youngster Nicolas Jackson in that department.

Osimhen and Toney look ideal after their form for Napoli and Brentford, respectively, so it will be interesting to see how this develops in the weeks and months ahead.

Romano admits that one issue could be that it will be difficult to prise Osimhen away from Napoli in the middle of the season, so that could perhaps point towards Toney being the more realistic option.

Meanwhile, Romano added that Chelsea could also look for new signings at centre-back, depending on what opportunities come up in the market.

“With Chelsea, a new striker for sure will be discussed ahead of January, while a new centre-back can be a possibility in case they find an opportunity but they’re not desperate to get one, it depends on the market opportunities, so I can’t give names for the moment, but they have excellent directors so I’m sure they will find good options if that’s what they decide,” Romano said.

More Stories / Latest News

Exclusive: Arsenal had two transfer suitors for important squad player this summer, says Fabrizio Romano

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England international to spark £80m bidding war between Arsenal and Chelsea

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“For the striker position, we already know about links with Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen, and for sure either of them would be top top signings. For Osimhen, however, I still think a January move away from Napoli is looking difficult.”

The post Fabrizio Romano: Two potential Chelsea striker targets, plus clarification on CB transfer interest appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Hello and welcome to my latest column for the Daily Briefing – click here to subscribe for more from myself, Fabrizio Romano, Ben Jacobs, and much more!

Liverpool show their credentials in Merseyside Derby victory

It may have been far from a classic, but Saturday’s Merseyside derby offered yet more evidence that Liverpool are heading in the right direction.

Yes, they had to wait until the second half to secure the victory, and yes Everton were reduced to 10 men for much of the match, but there is a certainty about Jurgen Klopp’s side this season that just wasn’t there last term. They’ve rediscovered that winning habit, that ability to keep their patience and trust that everything will turn out right.

They weren’t great on Saturday, but they didn’t need to be. They needed to be good enough, and they were. They were the dominant side even before Ashley Young’s sending-off, and even though they weren’t at their devastating best as an attacking force, there was always the feeling, from me at least, that they would find a way through.

What stands out at the moment is the amount of potential game-changers Klopp has at his disposal. Mo Salah got the goals and the headlines, and remains the Reds’ star man, but Liverpool are by no means a one-man band. In Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, Harvey Elliott, Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Klopp has players who can turn a game in an instant, whether with a pass, a shot or a piece of individual magic. Nunez and Elliott, in particular, had a big impact against Everton after coming on as subs.

They were fortunate, of course, that Ibrahima Konate didn’t pick up a second yellow card with the game at 0-0. That was one of a few bizarre decisions made by referee Craig Pawson on the day. But even if he had brandished the red, I still would have backed Liverpool to get the win. They have that look about them again, and having navigated a tough start to the season, fixtures-wise, they look primed to make some serious steps in the coming weeks.

Thoughts on those surprising Victor Osimhen stories…

Victor Osimhen has been linked with Liverpool in recent weeks, but I would be very sceptical about this deal. The Napoli striker is clearly a superb player, but reports that a deal has already been agreed with the Reds are wide of the mark, and I’d be surprised if he was to end up at Anfield as things stand.

Liverpool are not in the market for a No.9. They have Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo to play that position at the moment, and all three of those players have the full faith of Jurgen Klopp. All are 26 or under, and seen as long-term players for the club.

Nunez’s development, in particular, has been a big positive this season. The Uruguayan has worked hard on the training ground, and looks far more in tune with what is required from him, on and off the ball, if he is to play regularly for Liverpool. He took the No.9 shirt in the summer, and has now become the main striker for his country, and I expect him to go from strength to strength as this season goes on. He, for sure, is the future at Anfield, and I would not expect to see Liverpool spending big money on a centre-forward any time soon.

More here from Fabrizio Romano on Osimhen’s future.

Jamal Musiala looks ideal for Liverpool, but is a deal realistic?

I don’t think there is a club in Europe who wouldn’t like Jamal Musiala in their squad, and Liverpool are no different. But admiring a player and signing him are two different things, as evidenced by the Reds’ failure to land Jude Bellingham.

Musiala, I believe, is of a similar level to Bellingham, and as such would be very tough for the Reds to sign, both in terms of the finances required and the competition they would face. His contract situation at Bayern Munich is one that will be monitored, but I would expect the Bavarians to go all-out in trying to keep him. He’s the jewel in their crown, along with Harry Kane, and Bayern don’t tend to lose such players without a fight.

Liverpool, of course, have already made significant steps in overhauling their midfield, and particularly their attacking midfield options. Szoboszlai and Gravenberch are players for the long-term, the best is to come from Mac Allister, who may well be better in a more advanced role, while the development of Elliott and Jones provides Klopp with two more potential stars of the future.

Musiala, of course, is exactly that too, but while I’d love to see him at Anfield at some point, I’d say a deal right now would be a very difficult one for Liverpool to do.

Another Bayern player being linked with Liverpool

The topic of Mo Salah and Saudi Arabia is not going to go away. We know that. Liverpool were able to stand firm (and rightly so) in the summer, but the noises will start up again before the January window opens, and with the Egyptian now heading towards the final year of his contract, it will be harder and harder for the Reds to resist big money.

I would be amazed if Liverpool haven’t already begun earmarking players who can potentially come in if Salah leaves, whether in January, next summer or (less likely) as a free agent in 2025, but it surprises me that Leroy Sane’s name continues to be linked with the club.

The German international is a fine player, no doubt, but he will be 28 in January, and only twice in his career has he hit double figures in terms of league goals in a season. Both of those were at Manchester City, before his progress was checked by a serious knee injury.

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Nov 1 2023, 7:53

England international to spark £80m bidding war between Arsenal and Chelsea

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Clearly, finding another Salah is going to be nigh-on impossible, but if we look at Liverpool’s previous transfer dealings, you can see a clear pattern in terms of the type of profile they would look for; 22-25 years old, 150+ top-level games under their belt, versatility in terms of position, experience in European competition and both a proven level of output, but with the room (and the attitude) to develop quickly and significantly under a coach like Klopp.

Who that might be, that’s another matter entirely, but someone like Sane would represent a shift away from that policy in my opinion. I’d be wary of those links.

The post Exclusive Neil Jones column: Bayern duo linked with Liverpool, surprise striker transfer rumours & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool are unlikely to be in the market for Victor Osimhen or any other striker, according to Reds writer and Daily Briefing columnist Neil Jones.

Surprise recent transfer rumours linked Liverpool strongly with a deal for Osimhen, while Fabrizio Romano has reported on Chelsea monitoring the Nigeria international’s situation.

The Blues could urgently do with bringing in an upgrade on unconvincing young duo Nicolas Jackson and Armando Broja, with Osimhen looking like he could be ideal after his superb form with Napoli in Serie A.

Liverpool, meanwhile, are not pursuing Osimhen or another centre-forward, according to Jones, who expects the Merseyside giants to continue to show faith in Darwin Nunez as their main man up front for the foreseeable future.

This would certainly be logical, and if it’s accurate then it surely represents good news for Chelsea, who will no doubt hope to avoid a bidding war for a top player like Osimhen, who surely won’t be short of other suitors.

“Victor Osimhen has been linked with Liverpool in recent weeks, but I would be very sceptical about this deal. The Napoli striker is clearly a superb player, but reports that a deal has already been agreed with the Reds are wide of the mark, and I’d be surprised if he was to end up at Anfield as things stand,” Jones wrote.

“Liverpool are not in the market for a No.9. They have Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo to play that position at the moment, and all three of those players have the full faith of Jurgen Klopp. All are 26 or under, and seen as long-term players for the club.

More Stories / Latest News

Exclusive: Arsenal had two transfer suitors for important squad player this summer, says Fabrizio Romano

Nov 1 2023, 8:07

20-year-old with over 100 first-team appearances already is a target for Liverpool

Nov 1 2023, 7:53

England international to spark £80m bidding war between Arsenal and Chelsea

Nov 1 2023, 7:20

“Nunez’s development, in particular, has been a big positive this season. The Uruguayan has worked hard on the training ground, and looks far more in tune with what is required from him, on and off the ball, if he is to play regularly for Liverpool. He took the No.9 shirt in the summer, and has now become the main striker for his country, and I expect him to go from strength to strength as this season goes on.

“He, for sure, is the future at Anfield, and I would not expect to see Liverpool spending big money on a centre-forward any time soon.”

More here from Fabrizio Romano on Osimhen’s future.

The post Exclusive: Good news for Chelsea as Liverpool transfer expert weighs in on major saga appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen reacted furiously at a group of fans who tried to get his autograph while he was in his car as he left the club’s training ground.

The clip shows Osimhen in his car trying to leave the training ground but unable to go through the fans blocking his car, desperate to get his autograph.

And striker could be seen visibly furious as he angrily gestured the fans surrounding his vehicle to move.

Watch the clip below:

Victor Osimhen reacts angrily to a group of Napoli fans, who ask him for autographs and get in the way of his car. ???pic.twitter.com/aZXDYrtjWy

— Football Tweet ?? (@Football__Tweet) October 24, 2023

More Stories / Latest News

Exclusive: Arsenal had two transfer suitors for important squad player this summer, says Fabrizio Romano

Nov 1 2023, 8:07

20-year-old with over 100 first-team appearances already is a target for Liverpool

Nov 1 2023, 7:53

England international to spark £80m bidding war between Arsenal and Chelsea

Nov 1 2023, 7:20

The 24-year-old’s relationship with the Serie A giants has become increasingly strained ever since the club’s TikTok account posted two offensive videos about him.

The first video made fun of him for missing a penalty and a second video was potentially racist given the comparison of Osimhen to a “coconut,” which is widely regarded as a racial slur.

The post Video: Chelsea target Victor Osimhen’s furious reaction towards Napoli fans who try to get his autograph appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Hello and welcome to today’s exclusive column for the Daily Briefing – click here to subscribe to unlock the complete version, and for more content from myself, Ben Jacobs, Jonathan Johnson and our other columnists.

Jadon Sancho – There is still no price for Sancho, it will be important to see if it’s a permanent transfer or a loan – they will be open to any opportunity, though of course they’d probably favour a permanent transfer. Still, they know that in January it won’t be easy to find someone willing to pay something in the region of, and this is just my opinion, £50-55m, is not going to be easy. There is no change at the moment, no apology from Sancho, so it looks 90% over between him and the club. It’s similar to the situation with Cristiano Ronaldo a year ago – it’s really complicated, and Erik ten Hag doesn’t want any difficulties like this inside the club – FULL STORY HERE

Takefusa Kubo – In terms of replacing Sancho, there have been reports about Takefusa Kubo and in my opinion he would be a fantastic option, Kubo is a top player. But I’m afraid there’s absolutely nothing concrete happening there from what I’m told. Kubo is a crucial player for Real Sociedad, also Real Madrid are still keeping an eye on him for the future. I’m not aware of any talk with other clubs at this stage, and I don’t think it’s one for January honestly – FULL STORY HERE

Kalvin Phillips – From speaking to sources, it’s very likely for Kalvin Phillips to leave Manchester City in the January transfer window. That’s the idea, that’s the feeling, because the player both in public and in private has been very clear that he wants to play as a starter – FULL STORY HERE

Ivan Toney – The feeling of sources is that Toney’s asking price could be around £60-65m – Brentford would ideally want more than this, but the feeling at the moment is that for that kind of price the deal could be done – FULL STORY HERE

Aaron Ramsdale – The Aaron Ramsdale situation could be one to keep open, but at the moment I’m not aware of any negotiations. The goalkeeper market is a bit different from outfield players – it’s not easy for a goalkeeper to find a top club who can guarantee playing time – FULL STORY HERE

Cole Palmer – Chelsea deserve immense credit for the signing of Cole Palmer, because he’s been fantastic. West Ham and Brighton also wanted Palmer this summer, but Chelsea were ready to pay a big amount of money to Man City to make it happen, and it made the difference. For me, Palmer was also absolutely ready to play at Manchester City’s level too, but City have so many top players and so it’s understandable that they decided to sell when the right offer came in – FULL STORY HERE

More Stories / Latest News

Exclusive: Arsenal had two transfer suitors for important squad player this summer, says Fabrizio Romano

Nov 1 2023, 8:07

20-year-old with over 100 first-team appearances already is a target for Liverpool

Nov 1 2023, 7:53

England international to spark £80m bidding war between Arsenal and Chelsea

Nov 1 2023, 7:20

Victor Osimhen – Despite rumours, I can 100% guarantee that Victor Osimhen has not agreed anything with Liverpool or any club. He’s not negotiating any contract or salary with any other club, even if there is interest from around Europe, which is normal. Still, it’s also true that Osimhen has not agreed anything with Napoli, despite receiving a contract proposal which was the biggest in Napoli’s history – FULL STORY HERE

Assan Ouedraogo – There have been reports about Liverpool being keen on Schalke youngster Assan Ouedraogo, and yes it’s true that Liverpool like him – FULL STORY HERE

The post Transfer news: Jadon Sancho, La Liga star to Man Utd, £65m Chelsea target latest, Osimhen Liverpool & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea have enquired about the potential transfer of Inter Milan left-back Federico Dimarco, though he is expected to sign a new contract at the San Siro instead.

CaughtOffside understands Manchester City have also shown an interest in Dimarco, but it seems the Italy international will stay where he is, with a contract extension with his current club expected to be finalised soon.

This interest in a new left-back from Chelsea comes amid doubts over Ian Maatsen’s future, though there is more positive news on the future of Conor Gallagher in our report here.

Another Serie A-based player to watch for the Blues is Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who is not expected to move in January but who looks likely to be a top target for the west London club in summer 2024.

More Stories / Latest News

Exclusive: Arsenal had two transfer suitors for important squad player this summer, says Fabrizio Romano

Nov 1 2023, 8:07

20-year-old with over 100 first-team appearances already is a target for Liverpool

Nov 1 2023, 7:53

England international to spark £80m bidding war between Arsenal and Chelsea

Nov 1 2023, 7:20

Osimhen is no closer to signing a new contract with Napoli, so that could present an opportunity to Chelsea and others, with Mauricio Pochettino surely in need of more quality in his attack.

Nicolas Jackson looks a promising young player but is probably not quite good enough yet, while Armando Broja only recently returned after a lengthy injury lay-off.

Osimhen could have other suitors soon as well, though, so it remains to be seen if Chelsea will end up being in pole position for the Nigeria international.

The post Exclusive: Chelsea have enquired about transfer of Serie A star, big name likely to be summer 2024 target appeared first on CaughtOffside.