In the shimmering tapestry of the transfer market, Chelsea appear to be painting themselves as front-runners in the race for Napoli’s striking sensation, Victor Osimhen, come summer 2024. The alleys of footballing intelligence whisper that Stamford Bridge may soon witness the Nigerian’s prowess, although alternatives are certainly on the table.

“The Blues have been given a potentially significant boost…” reports CaughtOffside. This newfound hope emerges as one of Chelsea’s anticipated competitors veers towards a different kind of forward for next season, perhaps a figure reminiscent of Kylian Mbappe or the likes of Rafael Leao.

There’s an unmistakable wind blowing through Chelsea’s corridors, suggestive of their intense desire to bring Osimhen into the fold. The club’s board and decision-makers resonate with the sentiment that a classic striker, a beacon in the front, is an absolute imperative for the upcoming season.

“Chelsea are showing a strong interest in Osimhen,” intimate sources privy to these dealings. However, the Blues are known for their tactical diversity, and it’s no surprise that Brentford’s Ivan Toney, Brighton’s Evan Ferguson, and Feyenoord sensation, Santiago Gimenez, have also caught their discerning eye.

Paris, the city of lights, is not to be left in the shadows of this narrative. Paris Saint-Germain, erstwhile admirers of the Nigerian striker, have recently acquired the likes of Randal Kolo Muani and Goncalo Ramos. Thus, turning their gaze to a profile divergent from Osimhen seems a strategic move. As Mbappe’s future at the Parc des Princes hangs in the balance, the possibility of Rafael Leao stepping into those illustrious shoes remains palpable. However, whispers from PSG indicate ongoing dialogues with their star, suggesting that the final chapter of this tale remains unwritten.

Daniel Levy has confirmed that Tottenham have a buyback clause in Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich contract. The chairman was asked at a Spurs’ fans’ forum on Tuesday night whether the clause existed. “Of course,” he replied. Levy did not offer any detail.

Kane moved to Bayern in August for an initial fee of £100m and Spurs said in a statement that he was “always welcome back … he’s a much-loved and valued member of the Spurs family, for ever in our history.”

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The 30-year-old is focused on his new life at Bayern, where he is under contract until 2027, and it is impossible to say how he might feel about one day returning to play for Spurs. When his transfer to Bayern was all-but agreed, he was told to stay away from the Spurs training ground, meaning there would be no face-to-face goodbyes or the chance to personally collect his belongings. His family could not access their box at the stadium.

Spurs have started the season well, with four wins and a draw from five Premier League games and Kane was asked about them as he prepared for Bayern’s Champions League tie against Manchester United on Wednesday night.

“They’ve had a fantastic start,” he said. “I’m always keeping an eye on them and I’ll keep an eye on Tottenham for the rest of my life. I’m really happy to see the team playing the way they are and to see the fans happy is a great thing. I’m sure they’ll be keen to keep that up. They’ve got a massive game coming up [at Arsenal on Sunday], so for sure I’ll see how they get on over the course of the season.”

Manchester United will reportedly make another attempt to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong in 2024.

The Netherlands international was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford during Erik ten Hag’s first transfer window as Red Devils head coach little over one year ago.

Man United are believed to have come to an agreement with Barcelona over a price, but the midfielder made it clear on multiple occasions that he did not want to leave Camp Nou.

The Red Devils boosted their midfield over the summer with the signings of Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat, with the latter widely expected to join on a permanent basis from Fiorentina next year.

However, the club are likely to be in the market for another big-money player in that position 2024, and according to Fichajes, De Jong remains very much a leading transfer target for the 20-time English champions.

De Jong has been a vital player for Barcelona at the start of this season, scoring once in six appearances, and he played 58 minutes of Tuesday’s 5-0 success over Royal Antwerp in the Champions League.

The 26-year-old has another three years left to run on his contract at Camp Nou but has revealed that discussions over a renewal are ongoing.

“My contract renewal? My agent is taking care of that, but I’m happy here,” transfer expert Fabrizio Romano quotes the midfielder as saying.

Romano claims that De Jong is desperate to stay at Camp Nou, but any new deal would almost certainly come with a salary reduction due to the Catalan outfit’s financial problems.

Man United allegedly still believe that they can convince De Jong to make the move to Old Trafford, although a lot could depend on how the season unfolds for the Red Devils.

Ten Hag’s side have lost three of their first five Premier League matches of the season, and they are currently in Germany preparing for Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.

Barcelona, though, have won each of their last five matches in all competitions, including their Champions League opener at home to Antwerp.

“We’ve started well, I’m happy. We have a very good squad, players with a lot of talent and if we work well and do what we have to do, we can fight for big objectives,” De Jong said after the European success.

The Dutchman has made 189 appearances for Barcelona since arriving from Ajax in the summer of 2019, scoring 16 goals and registering 21 assists in the process.