Osimhen’s Future and Contract Put Friends and Fans on Collision Course – TrendyNewsReporters

The future of Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has put fans and friends on a collision course regarding his next career move. Although The PUNCH reported on Friday that Osimhen, the current African Footballer of the Year, has opted for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli, the Napoli striker has kept fans and friends guessing about his next moves during the transfer window. Osimhen is said to have turned down a move to English side Chelsea Football Club. According to Italy’s Skysport, the Nigerian striker would prefer to join the Saudi outfit on a four-year deal with his former employers; Napoli are set to earn £67.3 million (€80 million) plus bonuses. Osimhen had previously turned down a £70 million move to the Saudi club with his agent Roberto Calenda insisting that the Napoli star still had unfinished business in European football, The PUNCH reports. The development comes amid growing transfer speculation surrounding the Napoli star, who has attracted interest from several top-flight clubs in Europe and the Middle East. Osimhen has a number of clubs in the Saudi Pro League willing to break the bank to sign him, but the Nigerian international has so far ignored such overtures, looking to continue playing football in Europe, preferably in the English Premier League. Prior to the news that the striker would prefer to ply his trade in the Saudi Pro League, there had been speculation over his next move, with friends and fans on social media engaging in a “war of facts” over his contract terms. Although Nigerian journalist and well-known Osimhen ally Adebayo Sulaiman, with the handle @PoojaMedia, was given details of the player’s transfer speculation, insisting that the striker will not be joining Chelsea this summer, others have claimed that the striker is heading to England from Italy. The debate was further fueled when a Nigerian journalist based in Germany, Oma Akatugba, in a post on his X account on Thursday, claimed that the Super Eagles striker could join Chelsea. “The Victor Osimhen transfer saga seems to be heading towards a move to Chelsea. According to my sources, not Victor or anyone in his camp, at 11pm last night, he agreed to a weekly salary of €350,000 with Chelsea. “He initially asked for €500,000 a week, but Chelsea persuaded him to accept the lower figure. However, Chelsea fans should not celebrate just yet, as this drama is far from over. The Saudi clubs are still in the running and are offering even more money,” Akatugba wrote. The sports journalist’s article about the player’s future has caused a stir on social media, with friends and fans taking turns to tell their side of the story. “He never asked for €500,000 and Chelsea never offered anything close to this €350,000. A UEFA-accredited journalist should not be spreading information like this,” wrote Osimhen’s friend. Another influencer, @TheTifeFab, wrote: “This is a BIG LIE. Chelsea never offered Victor €350,000 and Victor never asked for €500,000 either. Let’s stop spreading false information or figures that we have not confirmed.” Also, @_AsiwajuLerry, a friend of the striker, responding to Akatugba’s tweet wrote: “This guy has been arguing with Victor Osimhen and most of the Super Eagles players and has attacked them every chance he gets. Citing an outrageous figure that is far from the truth just to frame the player. An absolute disgrace for a journalist.” Supporting @the_smallie, a user X with the handle, @Iamadaba, wrote: “You hate Osihmen for no reason. Why all this hot opinions and nonsense? On the quiet, you really wish you had someone like him by your side, but since it has nothing to do with you, hate and agendas are next.” Taking issue with @the_smallie, a popular social commentator, @Letter_to_Jack, argued that while Osimhen’s friends were trying to set the record straight, it didn’t reflect well on the player. He said, I understand you want to set the record straight about your friend, it’s admirable, however, this is too detailed information on a contract that is still in the final stages of negotiation. He added: “It doesn’t make Osimhen look good at all. Future employers (especially in Europe) will take note of this. Ornstein or Fab would have simply quoted this as “FALSE” and won’t go into detail until the saga is complete or the window closes, which is now a matter of hours. “Why do you think only trusted journalists get scoops on transfer deals and contract details to leak? Do you think other loved ones; siblings and friends, of other footballers, can’t come and attack fake news about them? Do you think other players’ best friends and loved ones won’t be aware of their decision on transfer matters days before the news breaks? In football, it’s either the player, his agent or a trusted journalist. “Any source outside that bracket (especially friends who aren’t well-known in the camp) is an indicator of a propensity for leaks in the player’s camp, and that’s never a good sign. Everyone should have coordinated with Pooja to debunk Omar. Don’t let your emotions control you in a way that will negatively affect your friend.” Corroborating @Letter_to_Jack, another football fan, tweeting from @Jerkingfish, said: “Funny how they don’t see it that way. At this point, I think these guys are part of Osihmen’s problem. How the hell are you discussing the details of a private contract with a journalist for “na my friend, make I talk Wetin I know”. Literally all he had to do was say “False”. However, in his response after news of Osimhen’s move to Saudi Arabia became public, Akatugba stuck to his statement, adding that the player asked for a higher salary. He wrote: “Chelsea couldn’t pay so he asked for the money. But idiots say he can’t ask for 500k when people earn almost 800k a month before tax in England itself? I’m not one to hold back when he knows my story. They can hire you to come here and embarrass you, it’s your choice. I work, you make noise.”