Football: Where Will Victor Osimhen End Up Playing?
by Geoffrey Ejiga | by Cydias Aujard
Victor Osimhen transfer saga: Galatasaray rejects Napoli's demands
Galatasaray appeared to be closing in on a deal to sign Victor Osimhen permanently. However, that transfer is now in limbo.
Per Fabrizio Romano, Napoli insists on €40M upfront and €35M in add-ons by 2026. Club President De Laurentiis also wants to include a 20% sell-on clause. However, Galatasaray wants to pay the add-ons by 2027 and refuses to include the sell-on clause.
The ongoing conflict has frustrated Galatasaray, and sources say the club is considering withdrawing from the deal. Despite this tension, Osimhen has informed Napoli he will not report for pre-season, meaning transfer talks with Galatasaray will likely resume if Napoli can just adjust their demands.
Osimhen to break the Turkish Super Lig Record Transfer
If he moves to Galatasaray this summer, Victor Osimhen will break the record for the most expensive signing in Turkish Super Lig history. The current holder is Youssef En-Nesyri, who transferred from Sevilla to Fenerbahçe last year in a €19.5M deal, and only six of the top 10 record deals ever reached €15M.
As mentioned before, Galatasaray is ready to pay the full €75M, which is Osimhen's release clause. But they are negotiating payment terms so that they can spread the bid over 3 years. If the deal is completed soon, it would be worth around four times more than En-Nesyri's transfer, setting a precedent for Turkish clubs who want to compete better on the European stage. See our upcoming Champions League predictions and get insights into what teams Galatasaray may face further into the competition.
Clubs keeping tabs on Victor Osimhen
As negotiations between Galatasaray and Napoli stall, Premier League clubs will certainly be on high alert for Osimhen. The 26-year-old striker enjoyed a sensational debut season in the Turkish Super Lig, scoring 26 goals and assisting 5 more to help Galatasaray lift the league title.
Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United were heavily linked with Osimhen, but they all appeared to have moved in different directions, pursuing Liam Delap, Viktor Gyokeres, and Bryan Mbeumo, respectively.
There is also a belief that Al-Hilal is ready to match Napoli's transfer requests. However, Osimhen's camp made it clear that he is not interested in the Saudi league. Instead, he wants to play with Champions League contenders.
As it stands, Osimhen will most likely reunite with Galatasaray, but the biggest obstacle is Napoli. If the Serie A champions do not bring down their demands, then Osimhen to the Saudi Pro League is not completely off the table.
Osimhen transfer saga: what's next for the Nigerian international?
Galatasaray fans will be hoping Osimhen can help the team compete better in the Champions League this season. The club has not made it past the group stages since 2012/13 when they were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
As it stands, Osimhen has already accepted personal terms with Galatasaray, and it now depends on them to get the deal done with Napoli. Unless the clubs find common ground soon, Osimhen's transfer saga might take an unexpected twist in the coming weeks
