“Secure your future, go to Saudi Arabia,” said Odi Ighalo to Osimhen
Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo has encouraged his countryman Victor Osimhen to think about making a profitable move to Saudi Arabia. He claims that the financial stability that such a move may offer is essential for African athletes who frequently have significant family and social obligations.
In an interview this week, the former Manchester United striker and Super Eagles forward used his own professional experiences to provide advice to the Napoli star.
Ighalo said, “I would advise Osimhen to go to Saudi Arabia.”
Victor Osimhen ought to spend two years playing in Saudi Arabia, make enough money, and then go back to Europe. After years of playing football in China, I came back to Europe at the age of thirty to play for Manchester United. Osimhen is just twenty-six years old. He will be 28 years old after two years of playing in Saudi Arabia, and he is free to return to Europe for five more years if he so chooses.
African players must strike a balance between desire and financial prudence, according to Ighalo, who had a successful stint in the Chinese Super League with Changchun Yatai and Shanghai Shenhua before landing a dream loan move to Manchester United in 2020.
“He needs to keep in mind that elite athletes like Ronaldo and Messi are not Africans; they have money to spend. However, in Africa, a lot of individuals demand to share in our wages, thus our money frequently doesn’t belong to us alone.
After a successful stint at Napoli, Osimhen has been strongly connected to teams in Europe and the Middle East, making him one of the most sought-after properties in world football. Ighalo’s remarks, however, draw attention to a larger fact that African athletes must deal with—that is, that success on the field frequently comes with responsibilities off it.
In recent seasons, Saudi Arabia has been a desirable location for elite football players due to its incredible salaries and ambitious football projects, which have already drawn international players like Neymar, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
It’s unclear if Osimhen will follow Ighalo’s counsel. However, the discussion highlights a significant conundrum for African football players: choose between financial stability and athletic success—for both themselves and the innumerable others who depend on them.
