Nigerian football legend and FIFA Technical Committee member, Sunday Oliseh has revealed the staggering financial reality that kept several top European clubs from signing Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen.
Speaking in a video that has gone viral on social media, Oliseh explained that while Napoli’s reported €75 million asking price for Osimhen grabbed headlines, the true cost of securing his services was far higher — approximately €187 million over a four-year period.
“Let’s get one thing very clear — for the fans, football is passion and love. But for all the actors involved in football, it is business,” Oliseh said.
Oliseh’s breakdown painted a clear picture: €75 million transfer fee to Napoli, a contractual clause granting the Italian club 10% of any future resale, and a jaw-dropping salary package worth €15 million net per year. That salary alone, he noted, would total about €112 million over four years.
“The real price for acquiring and maintaining Osimhen is actually €187m. The second part — the wages of Osimhen — is at €15m net, that’s €28m gross a year. Multiply it by four, and you’re looking at €112 million. This has been the major problem for clubs trying to acquire Osimhen.”Oliseh stated
Osimhen’s protracted transfer saga eventually ended with a record-breaking move to Turkish champions Galatasaray.
The Istanbul side paid the full €75 million fee upfront and agreed to his massive €15 million net annual salary — the most expensive signing in Turkish football history.
The drawn-out negotiations had strained Osimhen’s relationship with Napoli. He missed Galatasaray’s opening Super Lig clash against Gaziantep — a 3-0 win — but posted a video of himself watching the game on TV, captioning it, “Big mood, we keep going!” as teammate Eren Elmali celebrated the second goal.
The striker had also skipped pre-season training due to the uncertainty over his future. However, he is expected to feature in Galatasaray’s next fixture against Fatih Karagumruk at Rams Park as the club looks to unleash their high-profile signing.
