Player now torn by the lure of money following obscene £120m transfer bid for Napoli’s Nigeria forward

By Ed Emeanua

Victor Osimhen is reported to be leaning more on following the money trail following an eye-popping £860,000-per-week personal contract offer from rich Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, in an attempt to lure him from Italy to the Mid-Eastern country.

Sources close to the Nigeria forward’s agent Roberto Calenda revealed that while the Nigerian striker has been drawn strongly towards the whiff of money from the Arab Kingdom, his manager is however cautioning against the move.

Also, severe pressure from the family of the Napoli star man to go for the money and move to Al Hilal is adding more weight to the current situation in the player’s lengthy summer transfer saga.

Sources close to Osimhen revealed: “The possibility of earning £860,000-per-week for a player from the belly of one of the world’s poorest slums is just too much to resist.

“People should understand the temptation that the young man and his family are facing. Victor is a strong willed young man and a very sensible man. I believe he and his family know what is good for them and would make the right decision at the end of day.”

our source further revealed that the player is likely to be persuaded by his agent and not by his personal whims, and the additional pressure from his siblings.

“Victor has always taken his agent’s advise and I don’t see him doing otherwise this time,” our source said.

“No matter what happens, he will accept the professional decision of his agent. He has always done so. All these confusion will play out at the end in the interest of the young man.”

Following Kylian Mbappe’s snub, Al-Hilal have reportedly turned their transfer searchlight for a top striker to Osimhen with a shock £120m bid to Napoli for the Napoli forward.

Kylian Mbappe turned down an eye-popping amount of money from Al-Hilal (Image: Lafargue Raphael/ABACA/REX/Shutterstock)

The UK Daily Star reports that the Saudi Pro League outfit have now turned their searchlight to the 24-year-old Napoli forward, who scored 31 times in all outings last football term while landing the Serie A side its first Scudetto triumph since 1990.

Osimhen is now one of the most sought-after players in Europe, with interests pouring in from Chelsea and Manchester United for the services of the very prolific Nigeria striker.

Osimhen has reportedly been offered an £860,000-per-week contract, with Napoli being also handed a £120m transfer bid by Al Hilal, in an attempt to sway him to depart Italy for Saudi Arabia.

According to Sky Sports, Osimhen’s agent and Napoli have so far, failed to resolve their differences over a new contract. Also, an offer could be accepted by the striker’s club given Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis last month said he would be “willing to consider an offer we could not refuse,” or, one that is “obscene.”

The lingering question remains whether Napoli could consider Al Hilal’s £120m transfer bid for their man “obscene” enough to  sanction his move to Saudi Arabia, should Osimhen eventually push for a transfer.

Al-Hilal’s present interest in Osimhen emerged following their failure to acquire Mbappe despite already agreeing a world record £259m transfer fee with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

PSG was forced into the agreement to allow their talismanic forward to exit after Mbappe’s refusal to sign a new contract with Les Parisiens. With only one year remaining on his contract before PSG would be forced to let the France international to join a club of his choosing on a free transfer, Les Parisiens had no further say than to accept the offer.

However, Mbappe was to snub the move to Saudi Arabia throwing the relationship between club and player in limbo.