Galatasaray have signed Victor Osimhen from Napoli FC on a permanent deal for a Turkish record €75 million fee, with a potential €5 million in add-ons.
The Nigerian Striker put pen to paper over a three-year deal with an option for a further year, and his return to Turkey is now finalised. The previous transfer record in the Turkish Süper Lig was set by Fenerbahçe when they signed Moroccan Striker Youssef En-Nesyri from Sevilla for €20 million in July 2024.
The 26-year-old spent last season on loan at Galatasaray and had the Turkish League spellbound by his attacking prowess. Osimhen took the Turkish League by storm upon his arrival last summer, found the back of the net sporadically, dominated headlines regularly, and led the club to a domestic double. He scored 37 goals and eight assists in 41 appearances across all competitions. On a personal and collective note, it was a memorable debut season in Turkey as he helped the club clinch the Turkish Süper Lig title and the Turkish Cup. He clinched the Süper Lig Golden Boot for his goalscoring exploits and even won the Goal of the Season award for his spectacular overhead kick.
Osimhen’s longstanding transfer saga with Napoli was finally resolved following prolonged negotiations between Napoli and Galatasaray.
The Italian Club played hardball with the Turkish Club during negotiations, insisting on favourable payment terms for them. According to the agreement, Gala cannot sell him to any Italian Club for the next two seasons.
The 2023 African Player of the Year had a successful four-year stint in Naples and established himself as one of the best strikers in the world. He registered 76 goals and 18 assists in 133 appearances with the Partenopei.
Already a cult hero in Galatasaray, he endeared himself greatly to Gala fans during his season-long loan spell. Fans are incredibly excited by his return and welcomed him back to the club like royalty, pulling up in their enormous numbers to celebrate his arrival.
Goals Galore
A Napoli castaway, Victor Osimhen, was on a different wavelength last season. The goals flowed aplenty, and he shattered several goalscoring records in Turkey. Simply put, he was in a class of his own. A Ferrari among go-karts.
He reached a new career goalscoring height, surpassing the 31 goals he scored in Napoli’s Scudetto-winning season. The Nigerian striker became the foreign player with the highest number of goals in a single season for Galatasaray, shattering the long-standing record of 34 goals Mario Jardel set in the 2000/2001 season.
No Suitors
Following his stellar campaign in Galatasaray, suitors from the biggest European Clubs were expected to engage in a fierce bidding war for his signature. However, reality can be disappointing. The only clubs vying for his signature were Saudi Arabian Club Al-Hilal and Turkish Club Galatasaray. Astonishingly, all the most prominent European clubs avoided him like the plague. Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Juventus, and Manchester United, all in search of No. 9s, avoided him like the plague. Osimhen is a well-proven, better, and more experienced finisher than the other options on the market. €75 million was a reasonable price for a striker of his calibre. Nevertheless, they all opted against making an offer for him.
Al-Hilal wanted to sign high-profile players for their Club World Cup campaign, and Osimhen was their favourite candidate. On the other hand, Galatasaray was eager to sign him permanently following his hugely successful loan spell. Two options, Turkey or Saudi Arabia?
The Decision
As Al-Hilal and Galatasaray entered a bidding war over Osimhen, Nigerians were glued to Fabrizio Romano’s X page, afraid to miss out on his monumental decision. Al-Hilal promised him a hefty salary, larger than whatever Gala had to offer, but Gala’s sporting project was more tempting than the Saudi Club’s
The 2025 Süper Lig top scorer’s priority was to continue in Europe, challenging and competing against the best clubs in the world. Subsequently, he turned down Al-Hilal and chose Galatasaray.
Reasons for the snub
Lingering doubts about his behaviour have been cited as the primary reason Europe’s biggest Clubs opted against his signing, for fears he would disrupt their harmonious dressing room. Although reports from former coaches and teammates tell a different story, citing him as a down-to-earth, hardworking professional dedicated to improving himself and a lad with commendable behaviour, the doubts still linger. His outburst against former Super Eagles coach Finidi George caused a commotion and might have influenced behavioural opinions about him to a large extent.
Wage demands might have also caused an issue. Chelsea FC is believed to have ended its interest in the Nigerian striker in the 2024 summer transfer window following his refusal to accept its incentive-driven salary structure. Chelsea’s salary structure is based on team performance. Osimhen was unwilling to agree to a reduction in his salary if, for instance, Chelsea failed to qualify for the Champions League.
Wrong Move?
The 2023 Serie A Footballer of the Year is the best and most prolific African striker of his generation; no other Number 9 does it better in the whole continent. At 26, he is entering the peak of his powers and should be competing for the biggest titles in Europe’s biggest leagues.
The Nigerian striker is supposed to dominate the best defenders in the world and spearhead his team’s conquest in Europe’s biggest club competition. However, he finds himself stuck in the Turkish League. The league is simply below a striker of his calibre. Critics feel justified in criticising the super-talented striker’s decision to move to a relatively less competitive European league.
A Gamble
Undoubtedly, the Nigerian striker is one of the biggest signings in Turkish football history. Galatasaray made a lot of concessions in negotiations with Napoli for Osimhen, going out of their way to ensure they bagged their high-profile target for this summer transfer window. The towering striker is the face of the club’s ambitious project, and they had to get him at all costs. They were totally convinced by his clinical prowess during his loan stint and promptly smashed the Turkish transfer record to sign him permanently without batting an eyelid.
The Turkish Club intends to defend its domestic titles and cement its dominance in the Turkish league. They’ll compete in the UEFA Champions League next season and aim to go all the way in the tournament. Former Bayern Munich and Manchester City winger Leroy Sane also arrived earlier in the transfer window to bolster their formidable squad. They’ll count on Osimhen to help them compete better in the UCL next season.
The Turkish Club has not advanced past the group stages since their memorable run in the 2012/13 campaign, when they reached the quarter-finals. Perhaps, his arrival could change that. No Turkish Club has ever won the UCL before. It is doubtful, but maybe they could be one of the underdogs in the competition next season.
Osimhen rediscovered his goal-scoring touch in Turkey last season and cut a more relaxed, happy personality on the field. A move to Turkey now is better than going through the nightmare he went through last season, which resulted in a loan move to Gala in the closing periods of the transfer window.
Stability is essential in a footballer’s journey, and he has found it in Turkey. Even the most resilient ones have a breaking point.
The level in the Turkish league has been rising over the past couple of seasons. The arrival of Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjær has tipped the balance scales, increasing the league’s competitiveness levels. Fenerbahce has made several bold additions to its squad. If the signings are anything to go by, Gala won’t have their title defence easy next season.
If he maintains his excellent goalscoring form in Turkey, it won’t be long before top suitors again line up for his signature.
Blessing in disguise?
We’ve all seen players make big moves to Europe’s biggest clubs at older ages, and they still have a significant impact. Harry Kane moved to Bayern at the age of 30. At 32, he is still Bayern’s first-choice striker and has not shown any signs of slowing down. Zlatan Ibrahimović moved to Manchester United at 34 and led the club to its most successful period in recent years. Similarly, Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Juventus at 33 and had a massive impact in Italy. Robert Lewandowski swapped Bayern Munich for Barcelona at 34 and is still going strong for The Catalans.
Similarly, Osimhen is in excellent physical condition and could still play at the top level for the next 7-8 years. At 26, it is hasty to rule out his grand return to Europe’s Top Five leagues in the coming seasons. He signed a three-year contract with Galatasaray, giving him some control over his future. Napoli’s insistence on including a clause preventing Italian Clubs from signing him for the next two years highlights his exceptional qualities and their fears of being marauded by his potential return to Serie A.
Understandably, much has been made of Victor Osimhen’s move to Turkey in his prime years. However, fans should stop looking at the purported downsides of his decision and throw the total weight of their support behind him. The Nigerian striker still has much to accomplish in Europe, and a move back to Europe’s top five leagues shouldn’t be ruled out. One thing is sure: he never backs down from setbacks and challenges. He won’t go down without giving it his all!
