Victor Osimhen ‘s high-profile move to Saudi Arabian giants Al Hilal is officially off, following a dramatic change in the striker’s transfer stance.
The Saudi Pro League club had agreed to pay the €75 million release clause in Osimhen’s Napoli contract, and were prepared to offer the Super Eagles star a staggering €35 million-a-year salary over a four-year deal. However, Osimhen ultimately rejected the proposal, opting instead to continue his career in European football.
Al Hilal had hoped to finalize the deal in time for Osimhen to lead their attack at the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup in the United States. But despite the financial lure, the 26-year-old Nigerian forward has made it clear he is not ready to leave Europe at this stage of his career.
With the Saudi deal off the table, Juventus are now reportedly leading the race to sign the prolific striker. However, the Serie A giants will face a challenging negotiation process. The €75 million release clause only applies to clubs outside of Italy, meaning Juventus would need to pay a higher fee to Napoli.
Meanwhile, Turkish champions Galatasaray have also expressed interest and could mount a surprise bid for the forward, adding further intrigue to what is shaping up to be one of the summer’s biggest transfer sagas.
Napoli are expected to demand a premium from Juventus, setting up a potentially intense and complicated all-Italian transfer battle in the coming weeks.
