Mikel Obi, ex-Chelsea midfielder, says his former club and Victor Osimhen reached “a compromise” for a transfer deal, but the move was torpedoed by “slight issues that we could not get over the line”.
Obi spoke on the latest episode of ‘The Obi One Podcast’ released on Monday.
The negotiations between Chelsea and Osimhen were among the most intriguing episodes of the just-concluded transfer window.
Both parties failed to see the move through due to reported disagreement over Osimhen’s wage demand.
Some reports claimed the London club offered the striker a €4m initial annual salary, a fraction of what he earned at Napoli. Other claims accused the striker of demanding an exorbitant “£500,000-a-week wage” while unwilling to reduce his request.
Obi, who claimed he was privy to the negotiations, said Osimhen never demanded such a huge wage but “only wants to get what he deserves”.
He said “it is not true that Victor is a greedy boy,” adding that the striker eventually reached “a compromise” with Chelsea, “but it was some little paperwork and medicals and a few issues” that hindered the deal.
“I was involved in trying to get Osimhen to the club. A lot happened, and I heard a lot of people saying this and that about Victor being greedy,” the former Super Eagles captain said.
“I want to categorically say here that I have known the kid since his very first day on the national team. Our relationship has always been good, and we have kept in contact. I just want to say it is not true that Victor is a greedy boy. He only wants to get what he deserves, and that is not a problem.
“He was not asking for £500,000-a-week wage. I know what happened. I was in the midst of everything. We were very close to a compromise between him and the club. We were hours away from completing the deal. But there were slight issues that we could not get over the line, and the medicals could not be done.
“Victor wanted to come to Chelsea. I know what Victor wanted and what the club offered him. I know where we got to. We finally had a compromise, but it was some little paperwork, medicals, and a few issues that we could not get over the line.”
Chelsea were not the only club interested in Osimhen. Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli also aimed to sign the 25-year-old, but the deal also fell through.
Consequently, Napoli froze Osimhen out of their squad until the striker joined Galatasaray on loan for the rest of the season.
