Gary Lineker, the former England and Barcelona striker, has claimed that Victor Osimhen’s character may have been the reason some of Europe’s biggest clubs decided against signing him.

Before sealing his €75 million transfer to a leading Turkish side, Osimhen was considered one of the most sought-after strikers in football. Clubs such as Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Paris Saint-Germain were all linked with a potential move for him.

Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Lineker expressed his admiration for Osimhen’s performances, recalling how impressed he was when the Nigerian played against Leicester City in the Europa League. He described Osimhen’s displays for Napoli as “sensational.”

However, Lineker also said he had heard from reliable sources that Osimhen sometimes disappears for a few days without explanation. This, he suggested, made some clubs uneasy about signing him.

It seems that these reported concerns about his professionalism, rather than any doubts about his talent, may have discouraged several top teams from pursuing him in the 2025 summer transfer window.