Nigerian international striker Victor Osimhen has agreed to a high-profile transfer from Italian club Napoli to Saudi Arabian side Al Ahli for a fee of €80 million (£67.3 million). The 25-year-old is expected to undergo a medical on Friday, solidifying his move before the Saudi Pro League transfer window closes on Monday.
Osimhen’s new contract with Al Ahli will see him earning an astonishing €40 million (£33.6 million) per season, translating to a weekly tax-free salary of £646,154. The deal is also reported to include a release clause, providing the player with future flexibility.
This development has dashed the hopes of Premier League side Chelsea, who had been pursuing Osimhen throughout the summer transfer window. The London club had explored the possibility of bringing the Nigerian forward on loan with an obligation to buy, but those plans were thwarted by Osimhen’s decision to move to the Middle East.
Before agreeing to the Saudi deal, Osimhen’s agent, Roberto Calenda, had hinted at the player’s desire to continue his career in Europe, which briefly fueled Chelsea’s optimism for a potential deal. However, with Osimhen now committed to Al Ahli, Chelsea has turned its attention to alternative targets, including Brentford’s Ivan Toney, as the transfer window draws to a close.
Napoli has already secured a replacement for Osimhen, bringing in Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea on Thursday. Lukaku’s arrival in Naples marks the end of Osimhen’s successful stint at the club, where he established himself as one of Europe’s most lethal forwards.
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