Al Hilal Plans to Sign Super Eagles Striker Victor Osimhen
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen is high on Al Hilal’s priority list. The Saudi club is reportedly ready to activate his €75 million release clause. Osimhen is currently on loan at Galatasaray, and his loan deal with the Turkish club expires on June 30th. Galatasaray are also keen to retain him and are prepared to break both their transfer record and wage structure to make it happen.
New Al Hilal coach Simone Inzaghi has approved the move. Osimhen has been in sensational form, scoring 37 goals and providing 7 assists in 40 matches. However, the player is yet to make a decision. When asked about his future, he told Turkish journalists, “I don’t know what will happen. I’m going to take a holiday and make a decision with my family.”
A Recap of the Journey that Took Osimhen to Turkey
It all started when Napoli’s official TikTok account posted a video seemingly mocking Osimhen for missing a penalty. While the club later attempted to downplay the incident by calling it a joke, many—including Osimhen himself—did not find it funny. He went on to delete all photos of himself in a Napoli shirt from his Instagram page.
Despite the controversy and his agent even threatening legal action, Osimhen surprisingly signed a new contract with Napoli in December. The general belief was that the new deal was a strategic move to maximize Napoli’s profit from an eventual sale, as it was clear he would leave the club at the end of the season. While many questioned why he signed a new contract—given that his previous deal ran until 2025—Osimhen agreed to a one-year extension. This gave Napoli more bargaining power by introducing a €130 million release clause. He also received an improved salary.
During the 2024 summer transfer window, Napoli’s tough stance came into play. The club allegedly rejected an €80 million offer from PSG and then unexpectedly raised the asking price for Saudi clubs at the last minute, effectively blocking a move. Napoli were only open to negotiating with Chelsea, who reportedly wanted Osimhen to take a pay cut. Eventually, all potential moves fell through, and with only the Turkish transfer window still open, Osimhen secured a loan move to Galatasaray. Fans waited over four hours at the airport to welcome him.
Before leaving, however, Osimhen successfully negotiated a reduction in his release clause—from €130 million to €75 million—giving him more flexibility this summer.
Now available in the current transfer window, Osimhen is once again being courted by Saudi clubs. Although he previously turned down a £30 million-per-year tax-free offer, this time might be different. With Nigeria’s current exchange rate, accepting such a deal would make him a billionaire in dollars.
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