Super Eagles and Maccabi Haifa midfielder, Ugochukwu John Ogu has voiced his support for Victor Osimhen’s decision not to take a pay cut in his bid to join Chelsea.

Osimhen was linked with a move away from Napoli throughout the summer, but no transfer materialized as European clubs were unwilling to meet his €130 million release clause.

In the final hours before the transfer window closed, Osimhen was reportedly in negotiations with Chelsea and Al Ahli, with both clubs attempting to finalize a deal. However, the move fell through.

Following the closure of the transfer window, Osimhen was excluded from Napoli’s Serie A squad list. Additionally, his number 9 jersey was reassigned to new signing Romelu Lukaku.

This situation has generated significant debate, particularly regarding Osimhen’s lack of playing time until the January transfer window opens.

Taking to his X page, former Super Eagles player John Ogu expressed his support for his former teammate, criticizing those who suggested that Osimhen should have reduced his salary to join Chelsea.

John Ogu.

“I’m talking about Victor Osimhen and someone is telling me about Sancho, Sterling, and co because they took pay cuts! Like, for real? No disrespect to these players, but I’m talking about the current African best and the 8th best player in the world of football,” the 36-year-old posted on his X page.

He continued, “Y’all just put some respect on his name @victorosimhen9. This ain’t no Cho Cho Cho. If I can speak for anyone who has worked his ass off to be where they deserve to be, I will tell you about him. He’s HIM.”

The Implications

Osimhen now faces a difficult situation, as he will not play club football until the January transfer window opens. This may signal the end of his time at Napoli.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the relationship between Osimhen and Napoli is completely broken.

A move to another European club is off the table until January, though he could still move to Saudi Arabia, where the transfer window remains open until September 2. However, Osimhen has expressed his desire to stay in Europe.

This unexpected setback could have lasting effects on Osimhen’s career. By January, clubs may be reluctant to pay the high transfer fee Napoli has set, given that he will have been inactive for months.

It’s a potential loss for both Osimhen, who will miss out on valuable playing time, and Napoli, who may not receive the fee they’re asking for.

The lingering question remains: Why didn’t he leave when the timing seemed right? After leading Napoli to a league title as it seemed the perfect moment for a move. Perhaps we’ll never know.