Why did Osimhen join Galatasaray?
- Published
Victor Osimhen is one of the most sought after strikers in Europe so just how he ended up at Galatasaray is a curious case.
Of course, by the passion and size of their support, the Istanbul club can boast as being one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Yet, despite increased investment in the league in recent season, Turkish football is never normally a consideration for the world's best players.
But this is not a normal situation and it began with a decision made in December 2023.
Osimhen wanted to leave Napoli but still opted to double his wage to well over 拢200,000 a week and renew his Napoli contract after winning the Scudetto as top scorer in Serie A six months earlier.
The deal included a 拢113m release clause which would give him a chance to leave but club president Aurelio de Laurentiis demanded that full sum was paid throughout most of the transfer window.
The cost put off the majority of Europe's biggest clubs but Chelsea were selling Romelu Lukaku to Napoli and hoped to leverage the situation.
They wanted to use Napoli's desire to sell Osimhen to force a cheaper deal, either in the form of an initial loan or a permanent deal in the final hours of deadline day.
"We wanted a player that we decide it has to be on our conditions," said manager Enzo Maresca, alluding to Chelsea reluctance to pay the wages or fee during late-night negotiations on Friday.
It left Osimhen in limbo with Lukaku joining up with Antonio Conte and has given Galatasaray a rare chance to secure one of the world's best forwards with the Turkish transfer window one of the few still open.