Despite being one of Europe’s most sought-after strikers, Victor Osimhen’s future remains unresolved as Premier League clubs continue to tread carefully over a potential deal.
Renowned football journalist David Ornstein has revealed the reasons behind the delay, even as other suitors like Galatasaray and Al-Hilal push forward.
Speaking on a podcast on Thursday, Ornstein explained that while clubs are keenly monitoring Osimhen’s situation, financial hurdles and character concerns are slowing down Premier League interest.
“Galatasaray do want to make it permanent, clearly, if they can both make the finances work and convince him to join them,” said Ornstein.
He continued, “Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League have been pursuing the situation very aggressively. However, it seems that repeatedly, he has rebuffed their advances or they haven’t quite come to an agreement.”
Al-Hilal were hoping to land the Napoli striker in time for the Club World Cup, but Osimhen’s reluctance has proven a stumbling block so far. Still, the Saudi club remains persistent.
“It doesn’t seem to have dissuaded Al-Hilal,” Ornstein added. “They could still get a deal done before the knockout stages — if they get there.”
Clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal have long been linked with Osimhen. However, Ornstein made it clear that while admiration is strong, concrete steps have not been taken due to several key concerns.
“The stumbling block for the Premier League clubs so far seems to be, one, the salary expectations, and two, maybe he’s not deemed to be the right character for them… in terms of age, in terms of where he fits into the team and the dressing room,” he noted.
Osimhen, 25, remains one of the most lethal forwards in Europe, but clubs appear to be assessing more than just his numbers.
“That admiration doesn’t translate into necessarily doing the deal,” Ornstein added. “Clubs have to weigh fit, finances, and long-term planning.”
What’s clear is that Osimhen’s time at Napoli appears to be running out. The striker has been linked with a summer exit, and the club is reportedly open to a sale under the right conditions.
“Clearly, there doesn’t seem to be a future at Napoli where a sale is on the cards,” said Ornstein.
For United fans still holding out hope, Ornstein tempered expectations.
“I was quite clear in my reporting early on that he is not a player I expect Manchester United to sign,” he said bluntly.
However, he acknowledged the ever-shifting nature of football’s transfer market.
“Until that window closes, stranger things have happened. I personally would love to see him in the Premier League. It would be amazing. But there’s no kind of movement towards that firmly as things stand,” he concluded.
