Osimhen: Saudi’s Al-Hilal dangle fresh mega offer of N287bn

Al-Hilal have reportedly  increased their already-staggering contract offer to Napoli-owned striker Victor Osimhen, after the Nigeria international turned down their initial proposal.

Osimhen, who is expected to be sold by Napoli this summer, has a release clause worth €75m valid for teams outside of Serie A this summer. As things stand, Al-Hilal of the Saudi Pro League are the only non-Italian team to offer to pay the release clause in full.

Recent reports claimed that Al-Hilal, now coached by former Inter boss Simone Inzaghi, had offered Osimhen €30m per season in wages to leave Napoli this summer, which the 26-year-old ultimately turned down.

READ ALSO:

• FG fails to meet Q1 revenue target, records N6.9tn
• El-Rufai okays SDP as coalition’s best option to unseat Tinubu
• Young man climbs high-rise billboard in Kano, threatens suicide

Al-Hilal did not give up on their pursuit of the Nigerian, though, and Italian news outlet,  Corriere dello Sport,  has claimed  that they are now prepared to offer €40m per season in wages.

The  report claimed that Al-Hilal’s proposal is for a three-year contract with an option of an additional 12 months, which would see the former Galatasaray loanee rake in a whopping €160m (about ₦287,149,526,761.31).

Al-Hilal have been busy in the Serie A market, and are also closing in on an agreement with Milan left-back Theo Hernandez, who is reportedly close to accepting a €20m-per-season contract offer from the Saudi heavyweights.

Osimhen: Saudi’s Al-Hilal dangle fresh mega offer of N287bn

JJ Okocha advises Osimhen on next club to join

Former Super Eagles captain Austin Jay-Jay Okocha has stated that Victor Osimhen must “own” the choice about his next club.

Osimhen is highly certain to depart Napoli on permanent terms this summer.

The 26-year-old had a fantastic loan stay with Galatasaray last season, winning the league title and League Cup, as well as the Golden Boot award.

READ ALSO:

• Tinubu moves to retain Shettima as VP for 2027
• NNPC hikes petrol price to N945 in Abuja, N915 Lagos
• Gunmen hijack bus with several passengers in Benue

The Super Eagles forward has already turned down several offers to join Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia and is keen on continuing his career in Europe.

Okocha has now advised Osimhen to do what is best for him and his family.

“The decision should be his. Whether it goes well or not, he must own it,” Okocha told Sport 247.

“I don’t believe in deciding someone’s future. He should choose what’s best for him and his family.”

JJ Okocha advises Osimhen on next club to join

We won’t stop Favour Ofili from dumping Nigeria for Turkey – AFN

President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Tonobok Okowa, says the federation won’t stop women’s 150m world record holder, Favour Ofili, from switching her nationality to Turkey.

Okowa expressed surprise at the 22-year-old’s apparent allegiance transfer, as the federation awaits a reply from World Athletics.

Ofili is alleged to have shifted allegiance to the European country just three months before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

The 22-year-old’s transfer was initially revealed by Jamaica-based journalist Kayon Raynor, who stated that Ofili had informed the Athletics Integrity Unit of her dissatisfaction with the Nigerian Athletics Federation.

In reacting to the development, Okowa, who admitted that the AFN had let the athlete down on different occasions, said he was surprised, as the athlete has also been paid a training grant this year.

READ ALSO:

• Bank of Agriculture gets FG’s N1.5trn
• No group has applied for political party registration, says INEC
• I’ve not reconciled with Faithia, lady in viral video not my wife – KWAM1

“If this is true, it is sad, disheartening and painful, but we are yet to get any official statement from her or any correspondence from World Athletics on her request. She is a promising athlete with huge potential,” Okowa said in a statement.

“From the moves we have been making to get her fully prepared and back to the big athletics family and her response, it’s also clear that she had been preparing and working on her newfound Turkish love. She is old enough to decide what’s best for her, but it is painful and hard to take for us; however, we will not stop her. She is still our child, sister and daughter.

“We want to apologise to Nigerians, the National Sports Commission and the millions of people around the world who hold the sport and country in high esteem for this sad development.”

Meanwhile, the World Athletics Federation still identifies Ofili as a Nigerian athlete on its profile.

The 22-year-old is one among several Nigerian athletes who have qualified for the World Championships, which will take place in Tokyo from September 13 to 21.

This year, the Turkish athletics association has been looking for athletes, especially Jamaicans, and is reportedly offering up to $500,000 to foreign athletes who transfer allegiance to the European country.

Following administrative lapses, Nigeria has a long list of athletes who left the country for other countries and went on to excel in their careers, including Francis Obikwelu (Portugal), Gloria Alozie (Spain), Florence Ekpo-Umoh (Germany), Salwa Eid Naser (Bahrain), and Femi Ogunode (Qatar), among others.

We won’t stop Favour Ofili from dumping Nigeria for Turkey – AFN