The Blues entered The Etihad Stadium as significant underdogs against the reigning Premier League champions, but Raheem Sterling, facing his former club, managed to give the visitors the lead. A deflected strike from midfielder Rodri later in the game leveled the score for the Citizens, but Pochettino will be pleased that his team held on to secure a crucial point.
Now, the Argentine manager will be shifting his focus towards climbing up the table, aiming for a late surge to secure a place in European competition for the next season. Regardless of their final position this season, it seems that Chelsea is poised to make significant investments once again this summer.
According to reports from Rudy Galetti via The Sun, Chelsea is willing to trigger Victor Osimhen’s £111 million release clause. The club’s recruitment hierarchy is reportedly eager to expedite their pursuit of the striker in order to outpace French giants Paris Saint-Germain in securing his signature. PSG will be in the market for a new forward this summer as their star player, Kylian Mbappe, is set to leave the club at the end of the current season.
Since the takeover by Clearlake owners in 2022, Chelsea has splurged over £1 billion on new signings, although they refrained from making any additions during the recent January transfer window. Despite their substantial expenditure, Pochettino’s side has encountered difficulties in scoring goals at times this season, prompting Chelsea’s keen interest in signing Osimhen.
The Nigerian international made the move to Napoli from French side Lille in 2020 and has since amassed 119 appearances for the Italian club, registering 67 goals and 19 assists. It is reported that Chelsea will soon engage in discussions with Napoli representatives to negotiate the financial terms of a potential deal.
Despite Osimhen recently signing a contract extension that ties him to Napoli until 2026, Chelsea appears undeterred in their pursuit of the Nigerian striker.