The transfer that got away: The story of Victor Osimhen and Real Madrid’s interest

In the summer of 2020, Zinedine Zidane, the then-head coach of Real Madrid, reportedly showed a keen interest in signing Victor Osimhen from Lille.

Osimhen had caught Zidane’s eye with his impressive performances in Ligue 1. The French coach recommended the striker be signed, believing he would be a valuable addition to the Real Madrid squad.

However, Real Madrid’s interest in Osimhen was not acted upon, and the player eventually completed a move to Napoli in a deal worth around €70 million.

This left Zidane frustrated, as he was convinced that Real Madrid had missed out on a great opportunity to sign a talented young player who could have helped the team achieve its goals.

Zidane saw the Eagles striker as an ideal replacement for Luka Jovic, who had struggled to make an impact at the Santiago Bernabeu since his move from Eintracht Frankfurt.

Real Madrid’s failure to sign Osimhen was partly due to the club’s financial situation at the time. The COVID-19 pandemic had hit the club hard, and there were concerns about the financial implications of making big-money signings in the transfer market.

Additionally, Napoli’s offer was deemed more attractive than any other admiring suitors’, both for Osimhen and Lille.

Real Madrid back for Osimhen?

At Napoli, Osimhen has transformed from being a young player with potential to a phenomenal goalscoring machine.

The 24-year-old forward has 19 Serie A goals this term and is the chief reason Napoli are well on course for a first league title in over 30 years.

While Osimhen has made no secret of his desire to play in the English Premier League in the future, Santiago Bernabeu remains a likely destination.

According to reports, Real Madrid’s interest in Osimhen has not waned as they are still monitoring the player’s progress in Serie A and could make a move for him in the summer.

Only an offer in the region of €150 million could convince Napoli to part with their prized asset, but that should pose no problem as Real Madrid have a reputation for making big-money signings.
No Nigerian international has ever played for Real Madrid. It could, however, be the transfer coup of the summer if the Spanish giants beat Manchester United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and PSG to the signing of Osimhen.