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The Summer transfer window is upon us, and it is widely expected that Victor Osimhen will leave Galatasaray permanently, but it is still anyone's guess where he is headed as big clubs continue to back off
Victor Osimhen is one of the most talented strikers in world football, but despite his status as one of Africa’s best players, major European clubs remain hesitant to make a big-money move for him.
Moves to Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United have been touted, yet none of them materialised.
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Sadly, the transfer windows in the last two years have shown that a number of factors are making clubs think twice, and unless those elements are addressed, Osimhen risks becoming a top-tier talent stuck in transfer limbo.
Osimhen’s wages raise concerns
First of all, the big elephant in the room. According to transfer news specialist Fabrizio Romano, Osimhen is reportedly chasing a net salary of €12 million per year. That means, after tax, any club signing him would need to cough up around €500,000 per week, which would make him the second-highest earner in the Premier League, level with Mohamed Salah’s new Liverpool deal.
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Now, nobody is saying Osimhen isn’t worth serious money. But the cold, hard truth is that only a handful of clubs in Europe can even dream of paying wages like that.
Those clubs, Real Madrid, PSG, and a handful of Premier League giants, also tend to be extremely meticulous when they throw that kind of money around, and they all either have someone already in the centre-forward position or are looking at other cheaper alternatives.
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It is not even about greed. After all, the man turned down €35 million a year from Al Hilal, a deal that would have made him one of the highest-paid athletes on the planet.
But now that he has shown that money isn’t his driver, if he truly wants to stay in Europe and remain in the spotlight of the Champions League, he may need to show some flexibility when it comes to his salary demands. Because at the moment, they are pricing him out of the very market he wants to thrive in.
Osimhen’s surroundings
For players of Osimhen’s stature, the people you surround yourself with matter a lot, especially to top clubs that are willing to risk the type of money that Osimhen commands in transfer fees and wages. This is not just in terms of personal support, but how your inner circle behaves in public and online spaces.
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The modern football ecosystem is unforgiving, and clubs have entire departments now dedicated to monitoring players’ public perception, online presence, and even the behaviours of those closest to them.
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When your so-called friends or associates are social media personalities trying to piggyback on your fame, making statements, or acting like unofficial spokespeople, it reflects back on you, whether you like it or not.
Osimhen’s posse of pals has even caused one Turkish pundit to lament about how much Osimhen spends on his entourage and question if that has also impacted his wage demands.
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Osimhen’s friends may not have ill intentions, but their habit of speaking on his behalf, or even just being perceived as doing so, creates an air of chaos. And chaos makes clubs nervous. When influencers are making headlines using your name or throwing shade at potential suitors, it gives the impression that you come with drama.
Clubs investing hundreds of millions don’t just buy players, they buy narratives, branding, peace of mind, and Osimhen needs to protect his brand more carefully.
Osimhen's representation lacks a cutting edge
And finally, the man at the negotiating table: Roberto Calenda. Osimhen’s agent has done an admirable job bringing him from Lille to Napoli and steering his rise to superstardom. But now, with the stakes higher than ever, it might be time to consider a change in approach.
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Osimhen’s current career situation requires not just a good negotiator but a power broker. Someone with deep, trusted relationships across Europe’s top clubs. Someone who can strategically place a client like Osimhen not just in any club, but in the right club, on the right terms, with the right narrative.
In today's football world, it's not enough to just shop the player; it is also about building the image, managing media, controlling the noise, and building bridges behind the scenes. The kind of finesse required here might go beyond what Calenda has historically brought to the table.
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A little look around shows that the biggest football moves in the world today are brokered not just by agents, but by elite PR teams, sports lawyers, and mega-agency representatives who know how to play chess, not checkers.
Osimhen, unfortunately, may be stuck in limbo because his representation isn’t striking the right chord with the powerhouses he wants to join. If that’s the case, it might be time to either expand his team or make the hard decision to move in a new direction.
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