Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli is close to signing Chelsea targets Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen.
They have agreed on a £40 million fee with Brentford for Toney and a £67.3 million fee with Napoli for Osimhen.
Toney is set to travel to London for a medical, but the deal for Osimhen is still uncertain.
The Nigerian striker has not yet agreed to the move, and sources suggest that Al Ahli might only sign one of the two strikers.
Chelsea remains interested in Osimhen, their long-term target, but the club’s wage structure might be a barrier.
Chelsea had hoped to sign Osimhen on loan with an obligation to buy, but Al Ahli moved ahead by offering the 25-year-old a four-year contract worth about £33.6 million per season, tax-free. This contract also includes a release clause.
Napoli, who prefer to sell Osimhen to Al Ahli, have already secured Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea as a potential replacement for Osimhen.
Osimhen’s agent earlier stated that Osimhen “still has so much to do in Europe,” suggesting Chelsea had a chance to make a suitable offer. However, Chelsea’s offer fell short of what Osimhen wanted due to their new wage policy.
In another setback for Chelsea, Al Ahli also agreed on a fee for Toney. The England international, who has less than a year left on his contract with Brentford, missed the team’s opening games of the season.
Despite the progress, doubts remain about Al Ahli’s ability to sign both players. Saudi Pro League clubs can only have 10 foreign players in their 25-man squads, and Al Ahli currently does not have enough slots or the budget for both Toney and Osimhen.
To finalize both deals, Al Ahli would need to clear a slot by selling a foreign player before the Saudi Pro League’s transfer deadline on Monday at midnight.
