The transfer market is always filled with at least one unexpected signing. That’s the case and point with Victor Osimhen signing on loan for Turkish giants Galatasaray. Honestly, who saw that coming?
Even Ikay Gundogan took the signing as a surprise. “Wow… crazy [shocked emoji],” he wrote on Fabrizio Romano’s Instagram post. The former Barcelona midfielder was also linked with a move to Turkey this summer but returned to rejoin Pep Guardiola at Man City.
Osimhen aims to take over Süper Lig
The Nigerian forward joins Galatasaray on loan with a $10.8 million salary guaranteed by the Yellow and Reds.
However, the 25-year-old wisely inserted a contractual “break” clause, allowing the forward to sign for a top European club in the winter transfer window. Galatasary obliged. The player also requested Napoli reduce his release clause from $140 million to $81 million. His deal with the Partenopei expires in the summer of 2026, allowing Napoli to extend should the two parties achieve rapprochement.
The Osmihen loan is a shocker, given the player’s high transfer demand this summer. Chelsea and Arsenal were linked with a move for the 25-year-old disgruntled Napoli star. So, too, were the obligatory Saudi Pro League sides. But the wantaway striker couldn’t seal a deal to London before the transfer window closed.
Little did the European giants know, Osmihen would arrive in Istanbul on Tuesday morning with Galatasary fans singing his name.
After scoring 31 goals in Napoli’s Serie A-winning 2022/23 season, the striker had an “off” season last year. He netted 17 times in 32 matches. We think he can more than find his form on the European side of Istanbul and jet out by Christmas. That is if former Napoli teammate and now Cim Bom forward Dries Mertens can’t convince him to say.
