Osimhen ponders next move as Saudi transfer window closes today

Following their inability to secure a move to any of Europe’s big clubs during the just-ended transfer window, Victor Osimhen’s camp is now looking at their options, which are few, before this summer’s transfer opportunity closes globally.

Already, Osimhen’s Manager, Roberto Calenda, has dismissed suggestions that his client would head to Saudi Arabia following the Napoli striker’s failed move to Chelsea.

In the wake of negotiations between Napoli and Saudi’s Al Ahli, Calenda came out to rule out the possibility of his client moving to the Middle East, saying, “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.

As I said, it is not a package to be shipped far away to make room for new prophets. Victor was elected African Footballer of the Year, eighth at the Ballon d’Or, he still has so much to do in Europe. There is a need for respect and balance.”

In the wake of this, however, Napoli Manager, Antonio Conte, has ruled out the possibility of reintegrating the Nigerian into his squad, at least for the first half of the 2024/25 season.

Conte said at the weekend: “Those who are out of the project will remain out of the project. We made our choices and worked in one direction all together.”

Clarifying Napoli’s stance on the Osimhen saga, the club’s Sporting Director, Giovanni Manna, at the weekend, said: “The situation is very clear, it has been since the end of last season. Victor expressed his absolute desire to not stay at Napoli, and to not play for Napoli, and we tried to make him happy.

“Then there is a demand and an offer, we thought that we had concluded the negotiations, but then it did not go through. We bought Lukaku, and kept Raspadori and Simeone, which was not to be taken for granted.

“At this moment, we maintain the same consistency we had since the start: he expressed the desire to no longer play for Napoli and so we made other choices.

“The transfer market is still open, there are many options, but I don’t think Victor will go to Saudi Arabia in this transfer session.”

If Osimhen is not going to Saudi Arabia, then where will he play his football this season?

There are suggestions that Osimhen could sign a short-term deal with any Champions League playing club in any of the lesser leagues, like Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, or Belgium, and then move to a bigger club during the January transfer window.

Others are suggesting that he trains and waits for the next window since he will still be collecting his €230,000 a week salary from Napoli whether he plays for them or not.

But the danger in this case is that staying five months out of competitive football will have a devastating effect on his form, which may deter the type of clubs he desires from coming for him.

There is also the possibility that he will reach a mutual agreement with Napoli to terminate his contract. In that case, he will be free to join any club he wants as a free agent. This is a distant possibility as Napoli, which inserted a €130,000 buyout clause in his latest contract, would want to get some money from their investment.