Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has shared his expert opinion on the future of Victor Osimhen, Napoli's highly coveted striker, Soccernet.ng reports.
In an exclusive interview with leading Italian sports publication, Gazzetta dello Sport (via Tutto Napoli), Simeone provided insights into the potential transfer of Osimhen and suggested that Napoli should consider selling the player for a staggering sum of over €100 million.
Osimhen, who has been linked with several top European clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain, has expressed his desire to play in the prestigious Premier League.
However, the Nigerian forward could also be enticed by the prospect of reuniting with PSG Sporting Director Luis Campos, who brought him to Lille from Sporting Charleroi back in 2019.
During the interview, Simeone highlighted Osimhen's exceptional qualities, describing him as an incredibly strong player with unique attributes seldom found in the current football landscape. He emphasized that Osimhen's market value could easily surpass the €100 million mark, showcasing the player's immense potential.
While Simeone stopped short of advocating for Osimhen's immediate sale, he drew from his experiences at Atletico Madrid to offer strategic insights.
The esteemed coach explained that when a financially powerful club presents a substantial offer, which includes doubling the player's salary, it becomes financially burdensome and detrimental to a club's financial stability to retain the player. Simeone suggested that making a change and selling Osimhen might be the wiser course of action for Napoli.
In support of his argument, Simeone pointed out Napoli's history of allowing significant players to depart, only to witness the subsequent successes of their replacements.
Notably, he referenced players like Kvaratskhelia and Kim, who have thrived after arriving at Napoli, implying that the club could benefit from reinvesting the potential Osimhen transfer fee into strengthening the team.
What was said?
“The Nigerian is incredibly strong,” Simeone said.
“There are few players with his characteristics out there, and I believe he could be worth over a hundred million. I'm not saying that he should be sold, but I'm just repeating the kind of reasoning I make for my Atletico.
“If a financially powerful club comes along and offers double the salary, you have to bleed yourself dry and mess up your accounts just to keep a player. It's better to make a change. And who is better (at that) than Napoli?
“They let go of important players, and look at what players like Kvaratskhelia and Kim have achieved.”
Osimhen at the weekend netted the winner for Napoli as they clipped the wings of Fiorentina with a 1-0 win at the Diego Maradona Stadium.
In so doing, the Super Eagles striker became the highest-scoring African in the history of the Italian Serie A with 47 goals, overtaking AC Milan and Liberia legend George Weah.
