Chelsea Transfer News Roundup: Blues want Victor Osimhen, club eyeing Estevao Willian, and more - March 25, 2024
Chelsea will lock horns with Burnley on Saturday, March 30, in the Premier League. Mauricio Pochettino's team are 11th in the league after 27 games and desperately need all three points this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Blues are ready to trigger Victor Osimhen's release clause. Elsewhere, the London giants are keeping a close eye on Estevao Willian.
On that note, let's take a look at the major Chelsea transfer news from March 25, 2024.
Chelsea want Victor Osimhen, says journalist
Chelsea are willing to exercise Victor Osimhen's release clause this summer, according to journalist Rudy Galetti. The Nigerian striker's future at Napoli remains uncertain, despite only signing a new deal last December. Osimhen helped the club win the Serie A title last season and has been in fine form this campaign as well. The 25-year-old has registered 13 goals and four assists from 24 outings across competition.
The Blues want to sign a proven No. 9 this summer and have identified Osimhen as the right man for the job. The Nigerian reportedly has a €120-130m release clause in his contract, which makes any move for him a costly affair. However, the London giants are willing to break the bank to get their man at the end of this season. Osimhen could be an upgrade on Romelu Lukaku, who is currently on loan at AS Roma, and not part of future plans at Stamford Bridge.
Blues eyeing Estevao Willian, says Fabrizio Romano
Chelsea are interested in Estevao Willian, according to acclaimed journalist Fabrizio Romano. The Blues have invested heavily in talented young midfielders since the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino last summer. They now have their eyes on Willian, who is the latest talent to emerge out of Palmeiras.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Romano added that Barcelona are also monitoring the 16-year-old.
"Remember the name Estevao Willian, playing at Palmeiras and on the list of big clubs around Europe for a long time. His release clause is around €60m - this is the value of the clause, but I can guarantee once again that scouts from all over Europe, including Chelsea for a long time now, are travelling to scout this boy," said Romano.
He continued:
"Chelsea scouts have been in attendance since all the way back in October - the interest is there, even if there haven’t been any negotiations yet. It’s not easy to pay that kind of money, of course, and that is why, even though Barcelona are interested, they might not find it easy, as they also recently invested big money in signing another Brazilian gem, Vitor Roque."
The Brazilian rose through the ranks at Palmeiras and has already earned his debut for the senior side.
Raheem Sterling wants to stay at Stamford Bridge
Raheem Sterling is not considering a departure from Chelsea just yet, according to journalist Ben Jacobs. The English forward has blown hot and cold during his time at Stamford Bridge and has been linked with an exit this summer. Sterling was recently booed by fans after missing a penalty against Leicester City in the FA Cup quarterfinals.
However, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jacobs insisted that the supporters are displeased with the club as a whole and not just the Englishman.
“Sterling remains committed to Chelsea. The fan base is currently unhappy with various things at Chelsea, and they're starting to make that known at games. Sterling took the brunt of the criticism against Leicester because he missed a penalty, but also, I think, because he took the penalty," said Jacobs.
He continued:
"That's partly down to the fact that he won a penalty and partly down to the fact that Chelsea don't technically have a defined penalty taker. But Cole Palmer has been predominantly taking them and scoring them nearly automatically. So, when Sterling picked up that ball and missed, there was always a danger of a backlash."
Sterling has appeared 36 times across competitions for the London giants this season, registering eight goals and ten assists.