Napoli talisman Victor Osimhen has been available for a possible transfer since last summer, after the Nigerian decided not to play for the Azzurri again following the conclusion of the 2023/24 season.
The question remains: why has the Nigerian not been directly linked to any of the top five European clubs despite his terrific form in recent years?
Although Osimhen was close to joining Chelsea during the last transfer window, he ultimately decided to sign with Turkish giants Galatasaray. Even though the deal was still open on the final day, Osimhen and Chelsea couldn’t reach an agreement due to the low wages the club was willing to offer the 26-year-old. It was reported that Chelsea were only prepared to offer €4 million annually, less than 50% of his €10 million annual salary at Napoli. Instead, the Blues opted to sign Jadon Sancho on loan from Manchester United.
Ironically, fans expected Chelsea to push for Osimhen’s signature this summer ahead of the Club World Cup. However, the club has instead chosen a cheaper option with lower wages in Liam Delap. It’s very likely that new policies, such as building the team around young players (as seen in their current transfer strategy) and efforts to balance the wage structure are the main reasons Chelsea lost interest in the former African Footballer of the Year. With two centre-forwards already available in Nicolas Jackson and Liam Delap, it seems unlikely that Chelsea will pursue their dream striker again.
Osimhen has also been linked to Manchester United this summer, but the Red Devils have not shown serious interest. They have instead been active in the transfer market with the acquisition of Matheus Cunha for £62 million, the same as Osimhen’s reported asking price. Cunha, who is also 26 years old, is expected to earn around £150,000 per week, which is far less than what Osimhen is likely to demand.
Although Osimhen rejected a mouth-watering offer from Al Hilal last week, nothing is certain as the second phase of the transfer window opened June 16. Galatasaray are monitoring the situation and are preparing to offer Victor Osimhen a new deal.
Osimhen remains one of the highest-scoring players in Europe from the just-concluded season, having scored 37 goals in all competitions for Galatasaray.
