Victor Osimhen has revealed the reasons behind turning down a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia over the summer and choosing to stay with Napoli.
Osimhen played a crucial role in Napoli’s victory, securing their first Italian Serie A title in 33 years—their first since the triumphant 1989-90 season inspired by Diego Maradona.
His standout performances drew attention from leading European clubs, resulting in constant transfer speculation throughout the summer. The departure of Luciano Spalletti further fueled the transfer rumors.
According to reports, Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal submitted an offer of £120 million to Napoli to sign the Nigerian forward and offered him a salary of almost £1mil per week.
Nigerians candidly shared their thoughts with their star player regarding the offer from the Middle East, and numerous individuals were disappointed that he chose not to accept the deal and depart from Italy.
In an episode of the Obi One Podcast, the 24-year-old has disclosed the behind-the-scenes details of the situation.
“I have to be honest, I never thought of it at first,” he said about leaving Napoli.
“When the Saudi Arabia offer came, it was tempting, a bit huge to refuse. I had about three meetings with the club and society. I spoke to the manager, and he shared his plans, which I keyed into, and then I made up my mind to stick with the team.”
“It didn’t happen overnight. We already spoke about my future at the end of last season, but you never know what the future holds, and we’ll see,” he added.
He asserted that for the next phase of his career, he would consider a move that sustains his momentum, emphasizing that there are further accomplishments to pursue before prioritizing financial gains.