Chelsea are closely monitoring the ongoing issue between Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen and Serie A club Napoli, hoping to go for the player should he reconsider staying back at Napoli after the recent TitTok controversy.
The controversial post has led to legal threats against Napoli by the player and his agency. talkSPORT disclosed that this development has piqued Chelsea’s interest in the forward.
News About Nigeria had reported that Osimhen’s agent recently issued a warning of possible legal action against Napoli over the TikTok video that appeared to mock the Nigerian player for missing a penalty.
Recall that Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has made it clear that he is in the market for a new striker in the upcoming January transfer window.
In addition to Osimhen, the Blues are also keeping an eye on Ivan Toney, who currently plays for Brentford and is a target for several top clubs, including Arsenal.
Brentford values Toney at a minimum of £60 million, and with multiple teams expressing interest, this valuation is expected to rise significantly, potentially reaching around £80 million.
The contentious video posted on Napoli’s official TikTok account comes after Osimhen’s helped the club secure their first Serie A league title in three decades.
Despite his impressive performance, Osimhen has become the subject of the unexpected video, which has since been deleted.
Reacting to the incident, Osimhen’s agent, Roberto Calenda, took to Twitter to express his dissatisfaction and concern.
He said “What happened today on Napoli’s official profile on the TikTok platform is not acceptable. A video mocking Victor was first made public and then, but now belatedly, deleted.
“A serious fact that causes very serious damage to the player and adds to the treatment that the boy is suffering in the last period between media trials and fake news.”
Calenda also emphasized, “We reserve the right to take legal action and any useful initiative to protect Victor.”
The controversial video featured a clip of Osimhen’s penalty miss from a recent match against Bologna, accompanied by an unusual and sped-up voiceover.
