Former Nigeria international Peter Ijeh believes European clubs might be uneasy with Victor Osimhen’s attitude as the player seeks to leave Napoli this summer, Soccernet.ng reports.
Recently, Osimhen used Instagram Live to express his loss of respect for former Super Eagles head coach, Finidi George.
The 25-year-old striker criticised Finidi for suggesting he lacked commitment to the national team after missing the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and the Benin Republic in June 2024 due to fitness issues.
Following Osimhen’s outburst, Finidi George resigned as the Super Eagles manager, though his resignation was reportedly unrelated to the team’s performance or Osimhen’s comments.
Since the incident, some former players have urged the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to discipline Osimhen, while others believe he should apologise to the coach.
Peter Ijeh, who played for European clubs like Malmö and Copenhagen, thinks Osimhen’s actions show a lack of understanding of European football culture.
“How I wish he understood that Europe is a small community that takes attitude and character as keys because it is directly influenced by children, and at the same time, they are notorious for double standards. Even Lagos is bigger than six countries, so it is more or less a community where everybody knows everybody,” Ijeh said, as per The Punch.
Top European clubs like Paris Saint Germain, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Osimhen.
However, the reported €130 million release clause in his Napoli contract has complicated negotiations.
The Super Eagles striker is also on the radar of wealthy Saudi clubs who are willing to meet Napoli’s financial demands. However, Osimhen is not open to moving to the Middle East just yet with a desire to play in the Premier League burning in him.
