Super Eagles star Victor Osimhen has touched down in Istanbul, Turkey🇹🇷, where he was greeted by a large crowd of enthusiastic fans. The 25-year-old forward is set to join Turkish Super Lig champions, Galatasaray, on a season-long loan.
The move, which has been in the works for several hours, required some final details to be ironed out, delaying Osimhen’s departure from Napoli. Now in Turkey, the Nigerian striker is expected to finalize the agreement soon, with videos of his warm reception circulating widely on social media.
Loan Deal Details
Italian transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio reports that Galatasaray has agreed to cover Osimhen’s annual salary of €12.8 million during his one-year loan spell. However, another source, Fabrizio Romano, suggests that Galatasaray will take on a slightly smaller portion, approximately €9-10 million, close to Osimhen’s current earnings at Napoli but much higher than Chelsea’s previous offer.
Napoli Manager, Antonio Conte, later expressed his regrets for the stress Osimhen was put through but also acknowledged the unique difficulties surrounding the player’s transfer. Despite being expected to leave Napoli this summer, the transfer did not materialize when Chelsea was unable to meet Osimhen’s contract demands, and the Saudi side, Al Ahli, dangled a mouth-watering, if not dizzying, €130 million.
In the confusion, Osimhen was excluded from Napoli’s squad list for the season as transfer deadline encroached on the deal. Conte went ahead and made his squad plans without him.
But reflecting on the situation after the dust had settled, Conte commented, “Some issues blocked it; perhaps if we had unlocked that [Osimhen] situation, we would have completed the team differently and earlier. I’m sorry for Osimhen, the club that didn’t monetize, and myself because we didn’t complete the team as we wanted. But the club proved consistent in this situation, and I praise them for this attitude.”
What a welcome for Victor Osimhen as he arrives in Turkey ahead of his loan move to Galatasaray! 🥳 pic.twitter.com/bXJmTNSvYP
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 3, 2024
Meanwhile, several Nigerian players like female football star Asisat Oshoala and Jude Ighalo
rallied around Osimhen and supported him before striking agreement with Galatasaray.
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