HERE WE GO: Chelsea get the go-ahead for a £70m transfer in a double update, with a ‘deal’ reached for a striker.
Chelsea have received a significant boost in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid striker Samu Omorodion. The club has already expressed interest in signing the 20-year-old this summer, making a verbal bid that was promptly rejected by Atletico.
Other strikers such as Jonathan David, Viktor Gyokeres, Jhon Duran, and Victor Osimhen have also been linked to Chelsea, but Omorodion is considered a priority. Chelsea regards him as one of the best strikers currently available.
However, securing Omorodion’s transfer might be challenging, as the Nigeria international has not shown much interest in leaving Spain. In a recent interview with Marca, quoted by Fabrizio Romano, Omorodion said, “My focus is on Atletico. I noticed that the people of Atletico supported me a lot. I also received a lot of support from the club, they told me to stay calm, that they trusted me. That is very gratifying for a player.”
If Omorodion’s stance changes before the summer window closes, Chelsea might have an opportunity to sign him due to Atletico’s interest in Conor Gallagher. Matt Law, a Telegraph journalist, mentioned on the London Is Blue Podcast that “Chelsea and Atletico have been speaking all summer. Samu Omorodion is Chelsea’s top centre-forward target. A deal may happen if Chelsea can bring down Atletico’s price for Samu and Gallagher goes to Atletico in a separate deal.” Gallagher’s contract with Chelsea expires next summer, and he has been linked with a move to Atletico.
Romelu Lukaku is another Chelsea player who might leave, with Antonio Conte interested in bringing him to Napoli. According to Florian Plettenberg of Sky Sports Germany, personal terms have already been agreed upon, but the clubs still need to settle on a transfer fee, with a €15 million (£12.6 million) gap in their valuations. Napoli is hoping for a green light on the transfer, especially if Paris Saint-Germain signs Osimhen, which could facilitate Lukaku’s move to Italy and potentially Omorodion’s move to Chelsea.