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A move to Al Ahli would have earned Osimhen up to ₦54 billion per season, but the move ultimately broke down
Victor Osimhen’s much-anticipated move from Napoli to Al Ahli came crashing down on transfer deadline day, leaving the Nigerian striker at Napoli and in danger of not playing for the next six months.
Despite interest from top clubs and a lucrative contract offer from Al Ahli, Osimhen remains stuck in Italy and now faces an uncertain future at Napoli.
Amidst the failed move to Saudi Arabia, there are three key reasons why Osimhen was unable to complete a move away from Napoli.
Napoli's last-minute price hike
One of the primary reasons for the collapse of Osimhen’s transfer to Al Ahli was Napoli’s sudden demand for a higher transfer fee.
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Having valued Osimhen at €130 million initially, Napoli then reduced their asking price for the Nigerian striker as they grew desperate to sell.
Al Ahli initially offered around €80 million for Osimhen, which the Partenopei had reportedly accepted, however, as negotiations progressed on deadline day, Napoli reportedly attempted to increase the asking price by an additional €5 million.
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This last-minute change in terms was not well received by Al Ahli, leading the Saudi club to walk away from the deal, ultimately causing the move to fall apart.
Osimhen’s interest in Chelsea
While Napoli’s fee demands played a significant role in the collapse, Osimhen’s personal decisions also contributed to the breakdown.
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The Nigerian striker had been offered a four-year contract with Al Ahli worth €40 million per season, totalling €160 million, but Osimhen’s preference to stay in Europe introduced some hesitation, especially with interest from Chelsea remaining until the last moments of the window.
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Although Chelsea could not match the financial package offered by Al Ahli. Osimhen remained in negotiations with the Blues, desperate to find an agreement with the Blues.
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Osimhen’s preference for Chelsea struck the wrong tone with Al Ahli, who moved on when they realised they would struggle to convince the Nigerian striker to turn his back on a move to the Premier League.
The option of Ivan Toney
With Osimhen’s transfer proving increasingly difficult, Al Ahli turned to English striker Ivan Toney, quickly agreeing a deal to sign the ex-Brentford star, who had a medical in London on deadline day to complete the deal.
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Al Ahli already having an alternative to Osimhen meant that they were not desperate to sign the Nigerian striker and refused to be bullied by Napoli’s underhanded deadline-day tactics, and were able to turn their backs on the hesitating star himself.
If Al Ahli only had Osimhen in their sights, they would likely have had no problems with giving Napoli an additional €5m and would have waited for Osimhen to make his final decision before moving to a new target.
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However, Toney’s willingness to join was enough for Al Ahli, and his signing made a move for Osimhen unlikely as the England international took up their last slot for a foreign player in their squad for the season.
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