The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Galatasaray

  • Osimhen propels Galatasaray to Turkish Cup final

    Osimhen propels Galatasaray to Turkish Cup final

    Galatasaray and Victor Osimhen continued to be in the hunt for a double title after they dispatched Konyaspor 5-1 in the semi-final of the Turkish Cup to hit the final in grand style yesterday.

    Osimhen whose goals have been fuelling the Turkish giants’ desire for league and cup double notched the game’s opener before his teammates added gloss to the result with an emphatic win.

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    They will now await the winner between Trabzonspor and Goztepe in other semi-final tie billed for tomorrow.

    The Nigerian has played 35 games and scored 30 goals with six assists and seven yellow cards.

    The final of the Turkish Cup is fixed for May 14.

  • Galatasaray throws spanner into Osimhen’s transfer saga

    Galatasaray throws spanner into Osimhen’s transfer saga

    Galatasaray have thrown a spanner in the works for the Premier League clubs that have been tracking Napoli striker Victor Osimhen by pledging their desire to keep hold of the Nigeria international beyond this season.

    A new striker is on the summer wish list for Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, with a host of options linked with each of them, and plenty of overlapping.

    Osimhen is on the market after a souring in his relationship with Napoli last summer led to a season-long loan with Galatasaray, which will shortly come to an end.

    “Galatasaray will always be in my heart,” he told NTV. “There are always rumours about me, I think about the present. I am enjoying this moment; the fans always support me. At the right time, the best decision for everyone will be made.”

    Osimhen had already previously confirmed that he will decide his future when the season ends.

    But while it is the four Premier League clubs who have been regularly mentioned in conjunction with the 26-year-old, Galatasaray have now confirmed they are not out of contention. Vice-president Ibrahim Hatipoglu is stressing that Osimhen’s words, which have been interpreted as a farewell to the Istanbul giants are not actually that at all.

    Read Also: Osimhen scores 29th goal for Galatasaray

    “His words don’t mean he’s leaving,” Hatipoglu told AS. “He said that even if he left in the worst-case scenario, Galatasaray would always be in his heart. But he didn’t say he’s leaving. We want him to stay with us.”

    It is reported that Galatasaray are prepared to meet the “necessary financial conditions” to keep Osimhen, whose release clause with Napoli has fallen to €75m (£65m).

    AS added  that Barcelona and Juventus have also now started to take “significant interest”. The Serie A side were recently named as one of Osimhen’s preferred landing spots alongside a switch to the Premier League.

  • Buruk blames int’l break for Galatasaray loss

    Buruk blames int’l break for Galatasaray loss

    Galatasaray Technical Director Okan Buruk has blamed the international break for his team’s loss to Besiktas which ended their unbeaten run in the Turkish Super Lig.

    Buruk said with only a few Besiktas players on the international train, they were at advantage than Galatasaray players who had only a few days to recover from the international matches hangover.

    “The Galatasaray team has a lot of players who went to the national team. Beşiktaş had such an advantage. They had Rashica, Masuaku and Emirhan. Not many of their players played in the national team. We had such a disadvantage,” Buruk told the club’s official website.

    Read Also: Galatasaray celebrate Osimhen after netting brace against Rwanda

    “The fact that they experienced a derby away for the first time can be effective. No matter what happens, I believe in my players a lot. I trust their quality a lot. I know they can do better than this. We will experience much greater success with them.

    “There is no question mark in my mind about this. I want the next period to start more fairly and for this to happen for every team. I hope that the season ends with no question marks in the minds of all teams.”

  • Galatasaray celebrate Osimhen after netting brace against Rwanda

    Galatasaray celebrate Osimhen after netting brace against Rwanda

    Turkish champions Galatasaray have paid tribute to Victor Osimhen following the striker’s match-winning performance for Nigeria in their 2-0 victory over Rwanda on Friday, Soccernet.ng reports.

    Osimhen, currently on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli, was the standout performer at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, scoring both goals to propel the Super Eagles to a crucial win in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.

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    His latest brace continues a rich vein of form, following a hat-trick against Antalyaspor before the international break and goals against Alanyaspor and Kasimpasa.

  • Osimhen unsure of  future with  Galatasaray

    Osimhen unsure of  future with  Galatasaray

    Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has failed to acknowledge where his future lies after he was quizzed by the Turkish press in the aftermath of Galatasaray’s goalless home draw with Fenerbahce on Monday night.

    Turkish journalists were eager to know if Osimhen would make himself available to the club beyond the end of the season but the Nigerian was evasive choosing to dwell on the moment and not what would happen to him at the end of the season.

    The highly anticipated match, which saw a massive police presence of reportedly 32,000 officers and foreign referees to ensure a fair game, ended without a goal. Despite the lack of goals, the match was an exciting display of skill and determination from both teams.

    Osimhen, who has been a key player for Galatasaray this season, posed a significant threat to Fenerbahce’s defence despite being man-marked throughout the match as he won three fouls, the most in the game.

    After the match, Osimhen spoke to the media emphasizing his focus on the present when quizzed if the game was his last against Fenerbahce as a Galatasaray player: “To be honest, I don’t know…

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    “Last few months, nobody ever thought I would come here to a big club like Galatasaray. For me, I live for the moment. What’s going to happen in the summer, I don’t really know.”

    Osimhen reiterated his affection for the Turkish side, expressing his love for everyone associated with the club: “I want everyone to understand something – that I really love this club so much, I love these fans, I love everyone associated with this club. From the president, to the coach, to the staff, everyone associated with this club. So for me, it’s a privilege, and I’m really enjoying my time here.”

    With a loss avoided, Galatasaray will now focus on securing the title with 12 matches remaining in the season.

    Winning the Super Lig would mark their third consecutive title, replicating the team’s historic success in the late 1990s.

    During that period, Galatasaray won four consecutive league titles from the 1996/1997 season to the 1999/2000 season and Osimhen as well as his teammates will be determined to make history by winning the title again this season.

  • Galatasaray accuse Mourinho of ‘racist statements’ after Istanbul derby

    Galatasaray accuse Mourinho of ‘racist statements’ after Istanbul derby

    Galatasaray have accused Jose Mourinho of making “racist statements” and said they will initiate criminal proceedings against the Fenerbahce manager over his comments following their 0-0 Super Lig draw on Monday.

    While it was not clear which statements Galatasaray were referring to, Mourinho said the home side’s bench had been “jumping like monkeys” and that the match would have been a disaster if a Turkish referee had been in charge.

    Monday’s game was refereed by Slovenian Slavko Vincic after both clubs requested a foreign official take charge.

    Galatasaray said on X that Mourinho had “persistently issued derogatory statements directed towards the Turkish people” since taking up his role in the league.

    “Today, his discourse has escalated beyond merely immoral comments into unequivocally inhumane rhetoric,” the club said.

    “We hereby formally declare our intention to initiate criminal proceedings concerning the racist statements made by Jose Mourinho, and shall accordingly submit official complaints to UEFA and FIFA.”

    Former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur manager Mourinho has previously been fined and suspended for his comments about Turkish match officials. The Portuguese was again critical of Turkish referees in a press conference after the match.

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    “I went to the referees’ dressing room after the game. Of course, the fourth official was there, a Turkish referee,” Mourinho told the press conference.

    “I told him (Vincic), ‘Thank you to come here because you come for a big match and you are responsible for a big match’.

    “And I turned myself to the fourth official and I (said) ‘this match, if you are the referee, this match would be a disaster.’

    “And when I say him, I say the general tendency.”

    Mourinho also praised Vincic for not giving a yellow card to defender Yusuf Akcicek early in the match despite the animated reaction of the Galatasaray bench to a challenge.

    “I have also to thank the referee because with a Turkish referee after the big dive in the first minute, their bench jumping like monkeys on the top of the kid, with a Turkish referee you would have a yellow card after one minute and after five minutes I would have to change him,” he added.

    Fenerbahce has issued a statement defending Mourinho, saying his comments were taken out of context and deliberately distorted

  • Galatasaray set to offer cash plus player for Osimhen on permanent deal

    Galatasaray set to offer cash plus player for Osimhen on permanent deal

    • As Chelsea, Fenerbache step up chase for him

    Super Lig giants Galatasaray are reportedly prepared to include Turkish winger Yunus Akgün plus a cash sum in their bid to secure Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen on a permanent deal, Soccernet.ng reports.

    The Super Eagles attacker secured a long-season loan deal away from Napoli to Turkey following a denting relationship with the Neapolitan management.

    However, the Nigerian has made a positive impression in his move to Istanbul by scoring six goals and making three assists in his last eight games for Okan Buruk’s men.

    To secure Osimhen on a permanent deal, circulating in the Turkish media suggests that Galatasaray are looking to entice Napoli with a cash-and-player deal with Akgün in the deal to secure Osimhen.

    The Turkish attacker has reportedly drawn interest from Manchester United following an impressive Europa League campaign where he topped the goalscoring chart with four goals.

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    However, reports from Sabah also suggest that Napoli have entered the race for Akgün and may make an official bid during the January transfer window.

    Meanwhile, Premiership club Chelsea, and Galatasaray’s bitter city rivals Fenerbache, are also keen to sign him permanently.

    Reports further said Chelsea will now launch a second bid for the striker after they failed to sign him in January.

    The transfer scramble for ‘Osi’ has now taken another twist with a report that Fenerbache plan to submit a 50 Million Euros bid for the striker.

    Portuguese news outlet O Jogo said Fenerbache mean business after Galatasaray achieved a major world transfer coup in January by signing Osimhen on loan from Napoli.

  • UEL: Osimhen nets brace as Galatasaray beat Tottenham 3-2

    UEL: Osimhen nets brace as Galatasaray beat Tottenham 3-2

    Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen scored a brace to seal the victory for his side against Tottenham in the UEFA Europa League.

    Galatasaray, which dictated the game from kick off drew first blood in the 6th minute via a powerful volley by Yunus Akgun, however their lead was short lived after Will Lankshear leveled the game in the 18th minute.

    Read Also: Why Osimhen is thriving at Galatasaray

    Victor Osimhen however restored the lead and gave the team a deserved advantage into the second half scoring in the 31st and 39th minute

    Substitute Dominic Solanke scored a few minutes after his introduction but Galatasaray stood firm against further threats to retain the advantage and secure the three points.

  • Why Osimhen is thriving at Galatasaray

    Why Osimhen is thriving at Galatasaray

    Galatasaray assistant manager Ismael Garcia Gomez admits even they were taken by surprise when the opportunity arose to sign one of the world’s most in-demand strikers.

    At the end of August, Victor Osimhen was linked with top clubs in the Premier League and La Liga, or a money-spinning move to Saudi Arabia.

    But a couple of days into September, the 25-year-old Nigerian was being mobbed at the airport arrivals in Istanbul, having signed on a year’s loan with the Turkish champions.

    “We all know his summer was a bit shaky, there were so many rumours, just that he was definitely not staying [at] Napoli,” Garcia Gomez tells BBC Sport. “There were options in Saudi, Chelsea, I don’t know exactly what happened.

    Read Also: Osimhen dares Napoli on Galatasaray future

    “But in [the] last days of [the] market there was an option for us to try. I remember coming from an away game, the head coach Okan Buruk had the first call with him, when we were about to fly back to Istanbul.

    “Then in two days everything was done. For the club, for the fans, it was an amazing signing to start the season.”

    BBC

  • Galatasaray’s Osimhen grabs fourth goal of the season

    Galatasaray’s Osimhen grabs fourth goal of the season

    Victor Osimhen scored another goal for Galatasaray to propel them to another vital win against Besiktas and also widened their lead at the top of the Turkish Super Lig to six points.

    Osimhen who started his fifth game of the season netted in the 67th  minute to increase the tally to 2-0 following the opener from former Tottenham Hotspur player, Davidson Sanchez in the 13th  minute.

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    The Super Eagles attacker’s goal became more important when Besiktas reduced the goals arrears in the fourth minute of stoppage time through Ernest Muci.

    Galatasaray are  eight points clear  on the log with 28 points from 10 games with Osimhen on four goals and two assists from five games. They are yet unbeaten in Turkey and Europe.