Real Madrid head coach, Carlo Ancelotti debunked suggestions that Los Blancos were interested in breaking the bank for red-hot Super Eagles and Napoli star Victor Osimhen in the summer transfer window which is set to close in the coming weeks.
Africa Today News, New York reports that he sought after Nigerian was heavily linked to a move to top European top clubs like Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain. Saudi Arabia Pro League club, Al-Hilal also made a mega offer of about €150m with €1m in weekly wages, which he rejected.
Real Madrid was reportedly interested in signing Osimhen to replace Karim Benzema, who signed with Saudi Pro League team Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023, according to rumours. Real Madrid is a 14-time winner of the UEFA Champions League.
Ancelotti has now dispelled those reports, despite the fact that Osimhen is currently one of the top attackers in the world, claiming that the club has never contemplated signing him.
The Italian tactician claimed Los Blancos were never going to sign Osimhen after signing Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund.
‘Osimhen is one of the strongest strikers in Europe, but honestly we never thought about it. We decided to replace Benzema in another way with the arrival of Bellingham,’ Ancelotti said as per Napoli Magazine.
Osimhen still has two years left on the original contract he signed after joining Napoli from Lille for a club-record fee of €75m in 2020 is expected to sign a new contract that will see him become the most expensive striker in the history of the Italian Serie A.