Where next for Victor Osimhen? Saudi offer rejected as Napoli striker considers options

One of the defining factors of this summer’s transfer window will undoubtedly be the movements of European football’s most talented strikers and one goalscorer in particular seems to be attracting a lot of attention due to his decision to turn down a monumental offer in favour of staying put in the continent. According to Football Italia, Victor Osimhen has rejected an opportunity to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, despite the club agreeing to pay the Nigerian striker’s release clause of €75 million and offering a reported salary of around €30m per year. 

Osimhen, who has returned to Napoli after spending this season on loan at Turkish side Galatasaray, is expected to leave the Italian club in the summer transfer window, but following the striker’s apparent rejection of an offer from the Middle East, a move elsewhere in Europe could now be back on the cards. So which of Europe’s top clubs could be tempted to make a move for Osimhen as their solution to their striker problems? Let’s take a look. 

Arsenal 

There’s little doubt that few clubs are in need of a true No.9 as much as Arsenal this summer. After their failed attempts to sign Aston Villa talisman Ollie Watkins in January, the North London club have been linked with a number of goal scorers around Europe. The most recent reports suggest that Mikel Arteta’s team are intent on signing Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting or RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko, but should either prove too hard to sign then the Premier League giants may be tempted to make a move for Osimhen instead. Arsenal have been heavily linked with a move for the striker for a number of years and as they indicated with 29-year-old Watkins, the club are intent on signing a ready-made goalscorer. And few are as experienced as Osimhen. 

Manchester United

Another Premier League outfit that could be tempted to make a move for Osimhen if he’s back on the market are Manchester United. Like Arsenal, the Old Trafford club have been routinely linked with the Nigerian striker for a number of years but are finally in desperate need of a proven striker up front. Last season Rasmus Højlund managed just four goals in 32 league games for the club, with no player in the entire squad reaching double figures for Ruben Amorim’s side. The club have already begun to address this, signing Wolves forward Matheus Cunha for €74m and are in pursuit of Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo, but neither are proper strikers. As such, a player like Osimhen may be needed before the start of next season to finally fix Man Utd’s attacking problems. 

Juventus

While Napoli would rather not sell a player of such talent to a domestic rival, the club may be forced to accept any solid offer that they can get for Osimhen this summer and that may ultimately lead to Juventus signing the No.9. According to Italian football journalist Alfredo Pedulla, the Nigerian talent is one of the club’s two main priority signings this summer following qualification for next season’s Champions League. And if the club do end up selling Dušan Vlahović this summer, Osimhen could prove to be the perfect, ready-made replacement to slot into Juventus’ attacking line up. 

Galatasaray

If all other offers fail to materialise for Osimhen and Napoli this summer, both parties may be willing to consider a return to Turkey for the forthcoming season. According to reports in Istanbul, Galatasaray have been putting together something of a warchest to afford the fee and wages needed to sign Osimhen on a permanent deal, which reportedly includes a number of sponsorship deals lined up to specifically pay for the Nigerian talent. Following his success at the club last season, where he bagged 37 goals and eight assists in 41 games and the club’s return to the Champions League, the best option for Osimhen and his prolific talents may in fact be to stay put in Turkey.