Football: “Maybe Man Utd or Chelsea” - Eric Chelle on Victor Osimhen’s next club
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Chelle discusses Osimhen's future following Galatasaray stint
The vast majority of leagues across Europe are now over, and the focus of football lovers across the globe is set to turn to the FIFA Club World Cup, which gets underway this weekend in the United States before the summer transfer window takes centre stage.
One player whose future will be closely monitored is that of Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen, who is expected to leave Napoli this summer after falling out with head coach Antonio Conte before the start of the 2024-25 season.
Osimhen has been linked with several big clubs in recent weeks, and many pundits and Nigerian fans believe that he was left out of the Super Eagles’ squad for their recent friendlies to allow him to thrash out deals with clubs over his next move.
In an interview with the English media ahead of their match against Russia last week, Nigeria's head coach Eric Chelle was asked about his reason for omitting the forward from the squad and to share his thoughts around his future. Chelle said:
“Victor is, for me, the best striker in the world. For him it is difficult to come for this game because he played a season with a lot of pressure. The reality is there is a transfer window. During this time, a player like him is not focused at 100%. Maybe a club like Manchester United. Or maybe Chelsea, Barcelona or Real Madrid. So he needs to be focused on that.”
The 26-year-old striker was unable to get a deal done before the summer transfer window in England and most of Europe slammed shut last season, which saw him agree a season-long loan deal with Galatasaray, given that the transfer deadline in Turkey ends later than the rest of Europe.
Al-Hilal join race to secure Osimhen signature
Osimhen’s season-long loan in Istanbul saw him enjoy a prolific campaign in which he scored 37 goals in 41 appearances for Galatasaray. He won the Super Lig Golden Boot with 26 goals in 30 games and helped Cimbom win the Turkish top-flight title.
The Super Eagles marksman is expected to be a man in demand this summer and has been linked with the likes of Premier League sides Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool, while Barcelona and Real Madrid are also believed to be monitoring his situation.
This week, widespread reports claim that Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal, who just announced former Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi as their new manager, are the latest club to have signalled their interest in his services, and it is understood that they have tabled an offer in the region of £63.2m for Napoli to part ways with him.
The reports further claim that Napoli agreed to the deal and Al-Hilal had offered the 26-year-old a package worth around £25.3m per year to move to Riyadh, but he opted to turn it down, citing a preference to remain in Europe.
