Saudi Pro League team Al-Hilal have moved on from Kylian Mbappe to Victor Osimhen and have offered the Nigerian striker a £1 million-per-week salary to leave Napoli for the Riyadh-based team.
To this effect, they have offered Napoli a £120 million transfer fee for the player who the Partenopei see as priceless but could let go for an offer in the region of £180 million.
The Saudi Arabia club have been trying to sign a big attacking talent from Europe after their rivals Al-Nassr brought in Cristiano Ronaldo last December. They have secured the services of Sergej Milinković-Savić, Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly and Malcom as brilliant backups to a marquee signing they are yet to make.
Lionel Messi was their initial target but the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner chose the less glamorous Major League Soccer in the United States of America. They moved for Kylian Mbappe recently, after the player’s decision to leave Paris Saint-Germain became evident. The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner did not give them the light of day according to reports, causing PSG to lose out on more than £250 million in transfer fees.
Osimhen, who is the world’s most sought-after striker after Mbappe, has now been targeted by the Saudi club, who are desperate to match Al-Nassr’s acquisition of Ronaldo.
Osimhen was initially a target of Erik ten Hag’s at Old Trafford but Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund is getting closer to the club.
The Nigerian, however, looks comfortable in Naples and is in talks about a new deal with the club, which will make him one of the highest-paid players in the league with the new contract. Al-Hilal is looking to capitalise on the discussion with their juicy offer to the 24-year-old.
The offer has been rejected by both Napoli and Osimhen, however, continuing a string of disappointments for the Saudi side.
Football Italia reports that Napoli are only focused on ensuring Osimhen’s continuity at the club and despite setting a price for the player’s transfer, were never going to accept any deals for him even if it came from a European side.
Osimhen is also looking forward to making his mark in Europe, especially in the Premier League, where he already has many admirers and teams willing to throw their hats in the ring when he is ready to leave Italy.
This will see him miss out on more than £50 million in earnings next season as the new deal he hopes to sign for Napoli is only worth £6.5 million a year.
