Former Super Eagles striker Odion Ighalo has candidly advised Victor Osimhen to spend the next two seasons playing in Saudi Arabia, cash in on the lucrative opportunity, and then return to Europe to continue his career.
Over the past three seasons, Osimhen has been at the center of constant transfer speculation, with top clubs such as Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Manchester United, Juventus, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and wealthy Saudi Arabian teams all expressing interest.
Last season, Osimhen turned down a big-money move to Saudi side Al-Hilal, opting instead for a move to Premier League giants Chelsea. However, that transfer fell through, and he eventually joined Turkish powerhouse Galatasaray, where he led the club to a domestic double and finished as the league’s top scorer.
This summer, Al-Hilal returned with another massive offer for the Nigerian international, but he has once again rejected their approach as he remains keen on continuing his career in Europe.
Chelsea and Manchester United had shown interest, but Chelsea have since signed Liam Delap from Ipswich Town and João Pedro from Brighton, while United are reportedly unwilling to meet Osimhen’s high wage demands.
Currently, Galatasaray appear closest to signing the striker, but they are reluctant to meet Napoli’s demands for a sell-on clause in his contract. Meanwhile, Al-Hilal continue to push aggressively, hoping to lure him with a record-breaking offer.
While many fans and pundits believe that at just 26, Osimhen is too young to move to Saudi Arabia and cash in, Ighalo, who has spent the past four years in the Saudi Pro League, holds a different view.
The former Manchester United forward has urged his compatriot to seize the financial opportunity in Saudi Arabia now and return to Europe later without jeopardizing his career.
“I want to share my opinion, even if people criticize me for it — I don’t care,” Ighalo said during a podcast with former Big Brother Naija housemate, Teddy A.
“Victor Osimhen was the Serie A top scorer at Napoli and helped them win the league for the first time in 33 years. He’s now won the league again in Turkey with Galatasaray and finished as top scorer. He has also been named African Footballer of the Year.
“My advice to him is simple: go to Saudi Arabia, play for two years, secure the bag, and then come back to Europe. It won’t end his career — it will only set him up even better for the future.”
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