Al-Hilal return with second offer; plan to make Osimhen the highest earning African in history
Al-Hilal return with second offer; plan to make Osimhen the highest earning African in history
Al-Hilal, determined to lure Victor Osimhen away from Napoli, has returned with a second bid in their pursuit of the Super Eagles striker, Soccernet.ng reports.
A couple of days ago, the Saudi Pro League side offered €130 million to Napoli for Osimhen. Unfortunately for Al-Hilal, Napoli promptly turned down the bid, citing that it fell way below their valuation of the Nigerian import, which stands at €200 million.
For Napoli to even entertain discussions with any interested party, the starting price had to be at least €150 million. However, Al-Hilal are not taking no for an answer and have returned with a second offer of €140 million, as reported by EuroFoot.
This new bid also includes an enticing salary package for Osimhen, offering him €1 million per month, which amounts to an impressive €52 million annually.
It would make Osimhen the African player with the highest salary in history. Egyptian star Mohamed Salah, at €370,000 per week, is currently the highest-paid African footballer in the world.
In stark contrast, Napoli are offering the Serie A top scorer a salary of seven million euros if he decides to remain in Naples for the upcoming season.
Despite the alluring proposal, Napoli are expected to reject Al-Hilal's latest bid.
The Serie A champions have made their intentions clear, expressing their desire to retain Osimhen for at least another year, considering his pivotal role in securing the Scudetto title they clinched last season after a 33-year wait.
While Osimhen's contract with Napoli runs until 2025, both parties have discussed extending it by two more years. However, finalising the agreement remains a work in progress.
Osimhen, 24, has openly voiced his ambition to win more accolades in European football. There are strong indications that his ultimate destination, in the long run, is the English Premier League.
Nevertheless, the astonishing salary offer from Saudi Arabia has raised curiosity about whether it could sway his trajectory and lead him to consider a move to Asia instead. The decision lies in Osimhen's hands, and it remains to be seen how this high-stakes transfer saga will unfold.