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Victor Osimhen is expected to sign a new contract at Napoli despite a mouth-watering offer from Saudi Arabia.
Victor Osimhen’s future has dominated sporting headlines all summer, with question marks over where he would be playing his football next season.
This is not surprising because it was envisaged after having the best season of his professional career last year.
Why do big clubs want Osimhen?
The Nigerian striker broke all records in Italy’s top flight last season to help Napoli win their first Serie A title in 33 years.
He became Africa’s all-time top scorer in Serie A after scoring 26 goals, the highest an African has ever scored in a single season.
Not only that, but Osimhen also scored another five goals in the UEFA Champions League to cap off a remarkable season.
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These achievements caught the attention of Europe’s top clubs, who were on Osimhen’s radar.
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14:51 - 06.07.2023
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Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain have all been linked with Osimhen this summer.
However, despite their admiration for him, they have been unsuccessful in their attempt to sign Osimhen due to Napoli’s hardball stance.
It was expected, though, as Napoli had already maintained that Osimhen would be at the club this season.
But recently, their resolve was tested after Al-Hilal made a staggering €140 million offer with a weekly wage of €1 million per week for the Nigerian.
Still, Napoli rejected the offer, with Osimhen on the same page. Instead, Osimhen has reportedly decided to sign a new contract with the Italian Champions, which is not a well-thought decision.
Osimhen’s new contract at Napoli is potentially a career suicide
In fairness, it is hard to fault Osimhen for deciding to stay at Napoli this summer. The Nigerian joined the side for a club-record fee in 2020 but never fully justified that fee until last season.
Although only Osimhen knows why he is staying in Naples, the Super Eagles star probably feels he owes Napoli fans more, who have made Naples habitable for him and his family.
However, while that is admirable, his decision to sign a new contract shows a lack of ambition that could hurt his long-term dream.
Osimhen’s dream has always been to play in the Premier League. The Nigerian has always expressed it publicly and even said he looked up to Didier Drogba during his time at Chelsea.
While the opportunity to play in the biggest league in the world may no longer be available this summer, it will come again in the future.
However, a new contract with Napoli puts a move to the Premier League in potential jeopardy.
This is because Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis is a difficult person to deal with, especially when he controls all the cards.
He sucks the life out of every club interested in buying his players, especially if the player is a prized asset like Osimhen.
Clubs try their best to avoid dealing with De Laurentiis, which is one of the reasons potential suitors decided not to make a move for Osimhen.
In a summer where PSG, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and Manchester United are all looking for strikers, none approached Napoli for the services of Osimhen because he was deemed too expensive.
And considering Osimhen has only two years left on his contract, potential suitors are not likely to come back if he signs a new contract because he will be more expensive next summer, especially if he replicates last season’s feat.
It means Osimhen will likely stay in Napoli for a long term, which definitely will hurt his Premier League dream.
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07:00 - 07.07.2023
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This is not to say Napoli is not a good club for Osimhen, but the prospect of him winning more silverware at clubs like Chelsea or Manchester United is higher.
It would be wise for him not to sign a new contract but stay at Napoli this season, with the hope that Premier League clubs would be able to afford him next summer when he has one year left on his deal.
However, should he sign a new deal this summer, it could affect his long-term dream of playing in the Premier League and diminish his legacy as one of Africa’s best-ever players.
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