VICTOR Osimhen has revealed that the offer made by Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal last summer was not easy to reject.
The Nigeria international was linked with a number of clubs during the transfer window but it was the Saudi giants’ offer that was the most eye-catching.
According to reports, Al Hilal were willing to pay the 24-year-old Super Eagles striker a staggering £1 million per week to take him away from Napoli.
The most successful club in Saudi Arabia were also offering the Italian champions £120m for the services of their top scorer, who scored a league-high 26 goals as Napoli won their first Serie A title in 33 years.
“I have to be honest, I never thought of leaving last summer as Napoli wanted to keep me,” Osimhen told Mikel Obi’s ‘Obi One’ podcast.
“But when the offer from Saudi came in, it was a huge one. Big one…it was difficult to reject. I spoke to Napoli and I decided to stay.”
Osimhen, who is yet to sign an extension to his Napoli contract which expires in June 2025, said the Saudis were relentless in their pursuit.
“It was crazy… the more I said no, the more they increased their financial proposal again and again!” he added.
“It was literally like: WOW. It was going to change my life and they never gave up!
“But I said ‘no, guys, I’m staying’,”.
There are strong indications that Osimhen could leave Napoli at the end of this season after his relationship with the club deteriorated following the ill-advised TikTok video on their official account which mocked him after a penalty miss.
