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Not too long ago Victor Osimhen had a reported release clause in his contract of £113m/€138m and was courting some of European football's big hitters. Having fired Napoli to their first Scudetto since the days of Diego Maradona, it was no wonder that the Nigerian had become one of the hottest attacking properties on the planet.
However, in this age of Financial Fair Play, and with Profit and Sustainability Rules being administered, Osimhen and his agent's apparent attempts to extract maximum financial value from any deal ultimately left them with egg on their faces. A move to Chelsea last summer appeared to be on the cards for a striker that had managed a respectable if not brilliant 15 goals and three assists in an injury-hit 25-appearance season.
After plundering 26 goals in 32 Serie A matches in the Serie A title-winning campaign, trying to still ensure they would receive top dollar from interested parties a year later when form and goalscoring pedigree had dipped significantly wasn't really the best idea. he Blues eventually pulled out after a pig's ear was made of negotiations, and with nowhere else to go, Osimhen was saved from a season on the bench by interest from Galatasaray.
His 2024/25 campaign in Turkey has seen a remarkable return to form, with the player scoring 31 goals and providing six assists in 34 league and cup games. Notwithstanding that the Super Lig isn't the strongest, Osimhen has still fulfilled his role with aplomb and, once again, has made himself a coveted proposition. Saudi giants, Al Hilal, had recently agreed to pay his much-reduced release clause of €75m/£63.2m and also hand the player a bumper €30m per season salary.
Reports suggest the Nigerian hit-man has turned them down flat as he believes that he's still good enough to mix it with the big boys in European football.
