Victor Osimhen’s transfer situation suddenly turns dicey
Victor Osimhen, the Nigerian forward, has found himself in a precarious situation following the collapse of his anticipated transfers to both Chelsea and Al Ahli.
The breakdown of negotiations with Chelsea occurred just two hours before the summer transfer window closed, leaving Osimhen without a new club for the upcoming season.
Reports indicate that the failure to reach an agreement was due to various factors, including wage discrepancies and Napoli’s high asking price.
Chelsea negotiations
Chelsea had identified Osimhen as their top target for the centre-forward position throughout the summer transfer window. However, despite making a last-minute proposal believed to be around €155,000 per week, this offer was reportedly less than what he currently earns at Napoli. This pay cut was a significant factor in Osimhen’s reluctance to finalize the move. Additionally, Chelsea shifted their focus towards acquiring Jadon Sancho from Manchester United instead of pursuing Osimhen further.
Al Ahli interest
On another front, Al Ahli from Saudi Arabia had also shown interest in signing Osimhen. Initially, they appeared close to securing his services with an agreement reportedly worth between €75 million and €80 million.
However, complications arose when Al Ahli became dissatisfied with changes in the deal’s terms and ultimately opted to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney instead. This left Osimhen without any viable options for a transfer.
Transfer specialist, Fabrizio Romano, tweeted on his verified X page on Friday night that “Deal completely OFF for Victor Osimhen. No agreement with Chelsea and the Chelsea delegation now leaving Napoli. If nothing happens from Saudi next 3 days, Osimhen will stay at Napoli but he’s NOT gonna be part of the first-team squad. The relationship (with Napoli) is currently completely broken.”
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Napoli had earlier agreed on a fee in the region of £67m overnight with Saudi outfit Al Ahli, but Sky Sports reported that the latter is understood to be unhappy because Napoli asked for more money for Osimhen, pushing the Saudi side toward a deal for Brentford striker, Ivan Toney, for a £40m move, with the English man having already had his medical in London on Deadline Day.
The Saudi side, known for their substantial financial backing, however, insisted that they would only sign either Osimhen or Toney, meaning that they would not be able to sign both players and Al Ahli settled for the less complex transfer, that of Toney.
Romano tweeted, “Ivan Toney to Al Ahli, here we go! The deal is completed between clubs with Brentford for £40m package. Medical done, contract agreed and Ivan will travel to Saudi this weekend to be presented. Osimhen deal is OFF today and Toney is now finally done.”
As Chelsea’s pursuit falters, other suitors like Paris Saint-Germain who were once in the fray have refused to resurface and have stayed out of the race completely as Napoli refused to reduce their asking price.
Relationship with Napoli
The fallout from these failed transfers has severely impacted Osimhen’s relationship with Napoli.
Reports indicate that he has been excluded from Napoli’s Serie A squad list for the entire season following these events. The club has taken a strong stance against him by stripping him of his number 9 jersey and assigning it to Romelu Lukaku, who was signed as his replacement. This decision underscores how deeply strained relations have become between Osimhen and Napoli management.
If no new bids come in before the closing of other transfer windows—such as that of the Saudi Pro League—Osimhen risks being completely sidelined from first-team activities at Napoli.
His desire to leave is evident, but it appears he wants to do so on his own terms rather than accepting any deal that does not meet his expectations.
