- Former striker Brown Ideye advises Victor Osimhen to consider joining Al Ahli for financial security, despite interest from Chelsea
- Osimhen reportedly offered a lucrative €120 million contract by Al Ahli, with negotiations ongoing for a potential transfer
Former Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye has advised Victor Osimhen to consider joining Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli, even though Chelsea has also shown interest in signing him.
After four successful years at Napoli, Osimhen is reportedly set to leave the club. The 25-year-old striker has gained global recognition for his remarkable performances, scoring 76 goals and providing 18 assists in 133 appearances for the Italian side. This has attracted the attention of top European clubs like PSG, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Al Ahli. However, no deal has been finalized yet.
Moving to a European club would allow Osimhen to continue competing at the highest level. Ideye, part of Nigeria’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations-winning team, advised Osimhen to prioritize financial security by joining Al Ahli.
“If I were him (Osimhen), I would go to Saudi, play for two years, then return to Europe. He’s still young,” Ideye shared on his X page.
He further added, “Some players are doing that. I don’t understand why his agent doesn’t want him to take a pay cut and play for his dream club, Chelsea. I think there’s more to it than we see online. You can’t feed your family with trophies. We all played football because it was our way out of the hood; we wanted to enjoy the good things in life and take care of our families.”
Meanwhile, Osimhen has reportedly been offered a lucrative €120 million contract by Al Ahli. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the Saudi Arabian club will pay him an annual salary of €30 million over four years.
Negotiations are believed to be ongoing between both parties. Officials from Al Ahli are expected to fly to Europe this week to meet with Osimhen’s agent, Roberto Calenda. If Osimhen agrees to the terms, the two clubs will work on finalizing the transfer fee.
While the summer transfer window closes across Europe by midnight on August 31, the transfer window in Saudi Arabia remains open until October 6.