Arsenal handed huge boost by Chelsea in £110m 'force of nature' transfer chase

Arsenal have been handed a huge boost in the ongoing transfer saga surrounding the race for prolific Napoli marksman Victor Osimhen by Premier League rivals Chelsea.

The two London clubs have been linked with a big-money move for the 25-year-old this summer with the London outfits looking to add firepower to their squads ahead of the 2024/25 campaign. The Gunners just missed out on the Premier League title last time out while Chelsea look to bounce back from a topsy-turvy campaign under Mauricio Pochettino with Enzo Maresca at the helm.

Osimhen bagged 17 goals in all competitions last season, despite missing a chunk of the campaign when on international duty with Nigeria during the Africa Cup of Nations. The powerful striker now has 76 goals in 133 appearances for Napoli and is regarded as one of the continent's most respected marksmen.

Any links with a Premier League move for Osimhen have come under the cloud of a staggering £110 million release clause - a fee difficult to green light with increasingly strict Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules. However, Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio claims that Arsenal could shift their transfer efforts up a gear.

That comes as a result of Chelsea pulling out of the race for Osimhen. Maresca's side are instead on the verge of recruiting promising Atletico Madrid man Samu Omorodion in a £35 million coup.

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Arsenal are now expected to compete with French giants Paris Saint-Germain for Osimhen, who has been left out of Antonio Conte's Napoli first-team squad during pre-season. Di Marzio claims that Mikel Arteta's side will 'get back into the game' to try and sign the player.

The striker has made no secret of his desire to play in the Premier League when speaking in interviews last season and has been hailed as a 'force of nature' by Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport for his performances last term.