Osimhen rejects €70m Saudi move

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has turned down €70m move to Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli, with his agent Roberto Calenda insisting the Napoli star still has unfinished business in European football, The PUNCH reports.

This development comes amid heightened transfer speculation surrounding the Napoli star, who has drawn interest from several top clubs across Europe and the Middle East.

Osimhen has a litany of clubs in the Saudi Pro League willing to break the bank to sign him, but the Nigeria international has so far overlooked such overtures, looking to continue his football in Europe, preferably the English Premier League.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the 25-year-old and his agent outrightly rejected the Saudi move on Monday due to issues bothering on salary and release clause.

The striker, who has been training separately from the Napoli squad, may still move before the transfer window closes.

His agent, Calenda, confirmed his client’s decision on Monday. In a statement posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), emphasising that Osimhen has no plans to leave Europe at this stage.

“Osimhen is a Napoli player with a contract recently renewed with mutual satisfaction. He made history, and when there were major offers (also this year), we always accepted the club’s decisions,” Calenda wrote.

He added that Osimhen still has unfinished business in Europe, stating, “Victor was elected African Footballer of the Year, finished eighth at the Ballon d’Or, and he still has so much to do in Europe. There is a need for respect and balance.”

Osimhen’s situation at Napoli remains complicated. Despite being a key figure in the club’s Serie A title-winning campaign two seasons ago, the striker has been sidelined in recent matches by manager Antonio Conte due to the ongoing transfer talks.

His current contract, which includes the €130m release clause, runs until June 2026, and Napoli’s reluctance to let him go for much less has made negotiations with European suitors like Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain challenging.

Al-Ahli’s interest in Osimhen comes amidst reports that the Saudi club were close to reaching a €65m agreement with Napoli. While Napoli appeared open to the deal, the Saudi side still faced hurdles in convincing the player to join.

Reports indicate that Osimhen was insistent on having a release clause included in any new contract, allowing him a potential return to Europe and Champions League football in the future.

Meanwhile, Chelsea remain interested in the Nigeria striker but have been hesitant to meet Napoli’s steep valuation.

According to sources, the Blues have yet to make an official offer, with Osimhen’s significant wage demands proving to be another stumbling block. The forward reportedly seeks a £500,000-a-week salary to join the Premier League side, a figure Chelsea may find difficult to accommodate.

Paris Saint-Germain, also in need of a top striker following Gonçalo Ramos’s injury, had previously reached a preliminary agreement with Osimhen earlier this summer but have not made any concrete moves since then.

Despite the various offers on the table, it is clear that the Nigerian remains determined to pursue his European ambitions. For now, Osimhen’s focus is firmly on making an impact in Europe, where he believes his best years are yet to come.