Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen is set to become the most expensive African footballer after Saudi club Al Ahli agreed an €80 million deal with Italian side Napoli.
Osimhen has been one of the most discussed players in the transfer window with Premier League club Chelsea and a host of Saudi Pro league sides interested.
Talks with Chelsea broke down on Thursday, leaving the door open for the cash-rich Saudi’s and Al Ahli moved with speed to seal a deal with Napoli.
According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Osimhen will sign a four-year contract that will earn him a net salary of between €25 and €30 million per season and will also include a release clause.
His club Napoli will in exchange receive a guaranteed fee of €75 million with an extra €5 million in add-ons which will take the total package to €80 million.
The transfer ends speculation over the striker’s future and also makes him the most expensive African footballer in the world.
It beats the record of €79 million (£72 million) that Arsenal paid for Ivorian winger Nicolas Pepe from Lille in August 2019 and well as the €71 million total package French giants Paris Saint-Germain paid for Morocco full-back Achraf Hakimi from Inter Milan in July 2021.
Osimhen is one of the most revered strikers in the world and helped Napoli to the Serie A title in 2022-23, after scoring 26 league goals, and leaves the Italian club after four seasons in which he bagged 76 goals in 133 games.
