Galatasaray are reportedly plotting a permanent move for Victor Osimhen after the striker impressed early since joining the Turkish champions on a season-long loan from Napoli.
Osimhen settled in quickly at the RAMS Park, scoring four goals and contributing another four assists in nine games, including the winning goal against Besiktas.
According to Turkish outlet Sozcu, Gala are prepared to break their transfer record and offer a €50 million bid to Napoli to sign the Nigerian permanently.
Team Talk debunked the news reporting that the club’s sources claimed it is “fake news” with zero chance of happening despite him being a fan favourite already.
Let’s look at three reasons Osimhen can’t join Galatasaray.
1. Premier League dream
Premier League side Chelsea attempted to sign the Super Eagles star until the final moments of the summer transfer window when the deal was off after failure to reach an agreement on personal terms. The Blues reportedly retain their interest, with Arsenal also monitoring the situation.
Osimhen is said to dream of playing on the top flight of English football. He will turn 26 in December, and his best time to fulfil the dream is to get a move in January or, at the latest, next summer.
2. Galatasaray and Napoli are apart in fee
Osimhen had a release clause of £113 million inserted into the new Napoli contract he signed in the summer of 2023, a figure which eventually proved to be a stumbling block to his desired move last summer, with interest clubs unwilling to pay.
He extended his contract by a year before joining Galatasaray on loan, and a new release clause of €75 million was inserted, but the Turkish champions will reportedly offer a third of that, which is sure to be dismissed by the Neapolitans.
3. Salary demands
Osimhen’s current salary at Napoli is reportedly €12.82mil per year or €246,538 per week, while the Turkish club announced to the public that they would pay the former Lille striker €115,000 per week, way below his current grade. It is unclear if the Lions will raise their offer.
The Nigerian has a more lucrative salary offer of over €500,000 per week in Saudi Arabia, with Al-Ahli possibly returning for him in the summer.
