Chelsea Transfer News Roundup: Blues suffer Victor Osimhen blow, club eyeing Mike Maignan, and more - April 4, 2024
Chelsea welcome Manchester United to Stamford Bridge on Thursday, April 4, in the Premier League. Mauricio Pochettino's team are already languishing in 12th in the league table after 28 games and they cannot afford to drop more points.
Meanwhile, the Blues have suffered a setback in their efforts to sign Victor Osimhen. Elsewhere, the London giants are interested in Mike Maignan.
On that note, let's take a look at the major Chelsea transfer news from April 4, 2024.
Chelsea suffer Victor Osimhen blow
Chelsea have suffered a setback in their pursuit of Victor Osimhen. According to football agent Dario Canovi, the Nigerian striker is likely to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) this summer as Kylian Mbappe's replacement. The French superstar is apparently close to a Bosman move to Real Madrid at the end of this campaign. The Blues are eager to bring in a new No. 9 before the new season and are reportedly prioritizing a move for Osimhen.
Speaking on Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli, Canovi pointed out that the Nigerian could be the ideal replacement for Mbappe for the Parisians.
"In my view, it is very likely he will play for Paris Saint-Germain. It would be the smartest signing to replace Kylian Mbappe, who has been a Real Madrid player for months and it's a farce that they are trying to avoid telling us," said Canovi.
Osimhen signed a new contract with reigning Serie A champions Napoli last December, but is expected to be on the move this summer.
Blues eyeing Mike Maignan
Chelsea are locked in a battle for Mike Maignan this summer, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The Blues could be tempted to sign a new goalkeeper this summer amid the struggles of Robert Sanchez. The Spaniard joined the club from Brighton & Hove Albion last summer, but has failed to convince so far. Meanwhile, Maignan has gone from strength to strength with AC Milan in recent times.
This season, the 28-year-old has appeared 38 times across competitions for the Rossoneri, registering 14 clean sheets. The London giants are pleased with his efforts and are dreaming of taking him to Stamford Bridge. However, Maignan is a wanted man this year, with Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) also hot on his heels. The Frenchman's contract with AC Milan expires in 2026 and he hasn't agreed to a new deal yet.
Chelsea not targeting former managers to replace Mauricio Pochettino, says journalist
Chelsea are not targeting Thomas Tuchel or Jose Mourinho to replace Mauricio Pochettino this summer, according to transfer insider Ben Jacobs. The Argentinean manager is under pressure at Stamford Bridge following an underwhelming season so far. The Blues lost the EFL Cup finals to Liverpool and are 12th in the league after 28 games. A change could be in order unless things improve before the end of the campaign.
However, in his column for Caught Offside, Jacobs added that the London giants haven't shortlisted Pochettino's replacement yet.
“We hear a lot of names linked with replacing Pochettino, particularly Roberto De Zerbi, Ruben Amorim and Hansi Flick; whilst some fans are dreaming of a Jose Mourinho or Thomas Tuchel return, although it’s not thought either are being considered despite the obvious short-term PR win,” wrote Jacobs.
He continued:
“No candidate is actually being seriously pursued to date, and Chelsea sources insist in particular that De Zerbi is not on the radar as it stands. Chelsea are merely succession planning, much like Manchester United. This is normal when a change might be necessary and is something the club likely started on day one of Pochettino arriving given his contract is short."
He concluded:
“Succession planning should not be confused with formally interviewing others or starting to replace Pochettino. You can both look at options to avoid managerial limbo and still want to make it work with your manager, and that’s kind of where Chelsea are at.”
Pochettino has taken his team to the FA Cup semifinals, where they face Manchester City later this month.