Paris Saint-Germain 'shortlist' £112m Chelsea target as Kylian Mbappe replacement

Paris Saint-Germain are set to rival Chelsea for Napoli hitman Victor Osimhen, according to reports.

It is widely expected that the Nigerian will leave the Serie A club this summer. The relationship between player and club has broken down, stemming from a bizarre social media post earlier in the season.

Napoli appeared to mock the 25-year-old - showing a montage of him missing a penalty. The clip also called him a “coconut”, widely considered a racial slur.

Osimhen’s fitness issues and African Cup of Nations commitments have resulted in him struggling to replicate last season’s heights. As a result, Napoli have slipped to ninth - a poor defence of their first Serie A title in 30 years.

Chelsea are one of the clubs linked with rescuing him from his Gli Azzurri nightmare. Mauricio Pochettino has played Cole Palmer as a false striker in recent weeks as Nicolas Jackson continues to adapt to English football.

While Christopher Nkunku has returned from injury, he is not regarded as an out-and-out striker. Osimhen would give the Blues an elite bagsman to call upon - but he will not come cheap.

Reports claim the 25-year-old has a £112million release clause in his Napoli contract, which has two years left to run. The striker is understood to be open to a Chelsea move despite the lack of Champions League football.

However, The Athletic claim PSG have made him a top priority to replace the outgoing Kylian Mbappe. The French talisman told club officials he wishes to leave on a free transfer this summer, with Real Madrid widely tipped to seal his signature this summer.

That would leave a gaping hole for the Parisians to fill given his status as a global superstar. But PSG already spent the best part of €200million on Kolo Muani and Goncalo Ramos last summer - giving Chelsea an advantage.