Football: Victor Osimhen drops transfer hint amid Man United, Chelsea transfer links
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Osimhen set for Galatasaray departure?
Victor Osimhen has enjoyed an incredible season in the Turkish Super Lig, helping Galatasaray defend their league title, which also confirmed our Super Lig prediction. He has won the Golden Boot for the 2024-25 season, netting 25 goals and providing five assists in 29 league games.
The Nigerian international is expected to return to Naples in the coming weeks, but will almost certainly be sold this summer after falling out of favour with Antonio Conte, which led to him moving to Istanbul at the start of this season.
While a permanent move to Okan Buruk’s side remains an option, a recent interview with the Super Eagles forward suggested that he may not be intending to extend his spell at the club despite enjoying his time in Turkey since arriving. He said:
“This is the club where I’ve felt the most love, the most support. It’s the most enjoyable chapter of my career. They gave me the opportunity. I gave them everything. There’s love and respect on both sides. That means everything to me.”
While his remarks may be construed either way, it felt as though his statements were more of a farewell message rather than a call to remain at the club, and given his reputation, he will likely be looking to take his career to the next level, especially given the interest in his services of late.
Chelsea frontrunners for Osimhen's signature?
A couple of weeks ago, reports emerged that Manchester United had opened discussions to sign Osimhen in the upcoming transfer window in an attempt to bolster their attack after a shockingly poor Premier League season.
However, it seems that the Red Devils have now put Ipswich Town forward Liam Delap and Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Matheus Cunha at the top of their shortlist, with the latter believed to have already agreed personal terms to move to Old Trafford.
As a result, Chelsea are now believed to be the favourites to sign the Nigerian star this offseason. The Blues made an offer for Osimhen at the start of the 2024-25 campaign but were unable to strike a deal with Napoli before the transfer deadline.
The major hurdle in getting a deal done for Chelsea is that Osimhen has retained his value due to his performance in the Super Lig this season, meaning that agreeing on a suitable transfer fee with Napoli and a wage with Osimhen may still pose a few problems.
Given they have played almost the entire season without a recognised number nine, Arsenal are considered outsiders to snap up the 26-year-old attacker, but they are believed to have placed Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins and Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting Lisbon at the top of their transfer wishlist.
