Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has been linked with a move to Chelsea after deciding to leave Serie A side Napoli this summer.
The 25-year-old has been with the Italian club for four seasons, leading them to the Scudetto in the 2022-23 season while winning the top scorer award with 26 goals in 32 matches.
According to reports by The Athletic, Chelsea plan to take Osimhen on loan from Napoli with an option to sign him on a permanent basis at the end of next season although his agent is now denying such arrangement is in the works.
Napoli has yet to respond to Chelsea’s proposal for the Nigerian striker. Still, there’s a possibility they will reach an agreement with the Blues, who are also interested in Romelu Lukaku.
Osimhen’s potential move to Stamford Bridge this summer comes with one big issue: the choice of jersey number he decides to wear.
The Nigerian currently wears the number 9 shirt at Napoli and for the Nigerian national team, but he must avoid doing the same if he agrees to join Chelsea.
This is because there has been an unsuccessful run for players who have donned jersey number 9 at Stamford Bridge for a period.
The last two players who were relatively successful wearing the jersey number were Tammy Abraham and Jimmy Floyd Hasseiblank.
Prolific strikers such as of Mateja Kezman, Fernando Torres, Alexandre Pato, Gonzalo Higuain, Lukaku, and recently Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang failed to impress while wearing the jersey number at Chelsea.
Former Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus star Alvaro Morata had to change from number 9 to 29 at some point during his time at Chelsea.
It might be tagged superstitious, but records have shown that jersey number 9 at Chelsea might be cursed. And Osimhen shouldn’t take up that number if he eventually joins the Premier League giants.