Napoli pursues Lukaku and Osimhen from Chelsea

Napoli has submitted a loan offer for Romelu Lukaku, including an option to buy for £25.5 million. The Belgian striker, who transferred to Chelsea for £98 million in 2021, has not featured for the Blues in over two years and was omitted from the squad for their recent 2-0 defeat against Manchester City. After two successful loan spells at Inter Milan and Roma, Lukaku may be poised to return to Italy for a third club, although Chelsea prefers a permanent sale closer to his £36 million release clause. In parallel, Chelsea and Napoli are engaged in discussions regarding Victor Osimhen, although this potential deal is independent of the Lukaku negotiations. Osimhen has been a standout performer for Napoli, netting 76 goals in 133 appearances and playing a crucial role in their Serie A title win in the 2022-23 season. However, he was absent from Napoli's squad during their disappointing 3-0 loss to Verona, which marked a challenging start for new manager Antonio Conte. Conte, who previously managed Lukaku at Inter, is keen to reunite with the forward, having enjoyed significant success together, including a league title. Lukaku's time at Chelsea has been tumultuous, leading to his loans back to Italy, where he scored 21 goals for Roma last season. A transfer to Napoli could provide a fresh start for the striker as the club seeks to recover from their opening match setback. Meanwhile, Chelsea continues to be active in the transfer market, recently agreeing to a six-year contract with Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid. Felix's arrival may facilitate Conor Gallagher's move to Atletico, which had stalled, prompting Gallagher to train with Chelsea's Under-21s as negotiations resume.