Tag: Osimhen

• Gallas tips Nigerian ace as ‘huge force’  for EPL

Turkish giants Galatasaray has yet again reaffirmed their  desire to have  Super Eagles ace striker Victor Osimhen on their books  on a permanent  basis  ahead of next season with an official claiming  what remains are ‘just details’.

Osimhen was rescued by Galatasaray last summer after failing to secure a permanent move away from Napoli and has enjoyed his time in Turkey after featuring 26 times in the Süper Lig this season, scoring 22 goals and providing five assists. He has  also been among the goals in the Turkish Cup  as  The Yellow-Reds  bid for a  domestic  double in this on-going campaign.

Despite  persistent  rumour linking  Osimhen  to a high-profile  move to the English Premier League,  Galatasaray’s General Secretary, Eray Yazgan,  has reportedly said the 26-year-old  former African  Footballer of the Year might  be signed on a permanent deal.

“First of all, let’s all enjoy watching a player like Victor Osimhen in the Super League this year. Then, if the conditions are right for both our club and the player, it can happen,” reportedly told HT Spor.

 “This is not the subject of today. Our sole concentration right now, Victor Osimhen’s and all the other players’ sole concentration is to complete the season with 2 trophies, the rest is just details.”

Osimhen’s loan spell with the Turkish champions is set to conclude at the end of the season, with his contract at Napoli including a €75 million (£63.2 million) buyout clause.

In a related   transfer development, former France, Chelsea and Arsenal star  William Gallas believes Osimhen could go become ‘a huge force’  in English football, adding Manchester United  could be an ideal club for the Nigerian.

Read Also: Osimhen relishes Galatasaray’s victory over Eyupspor

“I think Victor Osimhen can become a star in the Premier League, he has the right profile,” Gallas  reportedly told Prime Casino as per GMS (GiveMeSport).“He can stretch play and stretch the backlines. “Another attacker can run into the space he makes, and he could be useful for any club in the Premier League,” he noted.

“He’s always learning, but at the same time, how long will he need to adapt to a new situation? We’ve seen foreign players before, it’s often difficult for them in the first season.

“The second season they step up, so it’s not unusual at all. Even (Cristiano) Ronaldo, in his first season (at United), he wasn’t the Ronaldo we know now, but in the second season there were signs.

“It all depends which club. If Arsenal need results straight away, they need to win the Premier League next year, then they need one player who can do it straight away. They don’t have time.

“If we talk about Manchester United, from where they are now, they don’t need to win the league. They’re looking to be top four or top five, so maybe they can give Osimhen the time he needs.”

Former Arsenal  and Real Madrid forward Julio Baptista has urged Osimhen to choose his next club wisely, while suggesting Old Trafford is not the place for him to thrive.

“He’s an incredible striker,” Baptista told Foot Italia. “33 games this year, 29 goals. He’s a very, very good player, but he needs to find a team that plays with his style.

“He needs to find a team playing a little closer to his approach. Sometimes this is a big problem. Sometimes players don’t think a lot about finding the perfect club for their abilities. For example, he’s been linked with Manchester United, but is he going to get the chances there? I have my doubts about that.”

If Osimhen is to sign for United, he would be joining Bruno Fernandes, who has created more goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates than any other player in the Premier League.

There is no reason to think Osimhen wouldn’t get chances at United, despite Baptista’s comments. The difference is, unlike Hojlund, he’d likely find the back of the net.

Meanwhile, Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo believes it is the right time for Osimhen to make the move to the Premier League after proving himself in Italy and Turkey as a prolific goal scorer.

The striker is leading the Turkish Super Lig’s goal scoring charts with 21 goals in 25 matches.

Read Also: NPFL  hammer falls on  El-Kanemi with N3.5m fine

Ighalo, who played for two Premier League clubs, believes it would be the best move for the fellow Nigerian’s career.

“Yeah, I believe he has done so well so far for his age and he’s still doing well,” Ighalo told Abu Azeez Podcast.

“I believe he should go to the Premier League, but you know he’s young. He has his agent, he has his advisor, and I believe they can advise him on what to do.

“If I were to advise him, I’d say the Premier League, because that is the big stage – the biggest league in the world. That’s where I believe he’s going to make an even bigger name for himself that he can carry throughout his career, even after football.

He added: “For me, I’ll just advise him to go to the Premier League, but he knows best. Everybody can say whatever they want, but the player who is playing and doing the job knows what is in his heart and head. So whatever decision he makes, I’m 101% in support of him.”

• Ighalo urges Nigerian ace  to explore EPL

Super Eagles’ ace striker, Victor Osimhen, will reportedly earn at least a  staggering One Hundred Thirty-Six Billion , Two Hundred Thirty-Three Million  and Six Hundred Sixty-Four Thousand Naira if he eventually  switched  to  Manchester United  in  the summer, even as  Al Wehdah striker Odion Ighalo has urged  his former  national teammate to  explore a life-time opportunity to play in the English Premier League.

In the meantime, several  Turkish outlets have claimed that Manchester United  are close to finalising a deal for Osimhen, who remains a Galatasaray player until the end of the season.

The on-loan frontman has faced a hugely uncertain future over the last year due to how his fiery Napoli exit panned out; after clashing heads with Antonio Conte, he was stripped of his number and removed from the side’s Serie A squad list before the season began, leaving him little to no time to agree a deal with a suitor before the transfer deadline.

When a move to Al Ahli collapsed in the final stages, Osimhen signed for Galatasaray with no buy option included in the terms. As such, he now has only two months remaining in Turkey before he’ll have to return to Napoli and hold some pretty crucial talks over his next steps.

Osimhen has long been linked with an Old Trafford switch over the years, primarily because he poses as a direct solution to their flagrant goal-scoring woes.

The Nigerian international boasts a stunning 143 career goals in 257 appearances, including 29 goals – and a further six assists – in only 34 appearances this term. 

Turkish journalist Aygun Ozipek claimed  the 26-year-old has agreed a five-year deal with the Red Devils for a fee of £51 million, with the player said to have negotiated a salary worth £12.8m (about N27,246,732,800)  per year.

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Meanwhile, Ighalo has counselled  Osimhen to consider a move to the Premier League this summer and feels what it looks like to play in the most exciting league in the world.

Speaking on a podcast hosted by former national beach soccer team’s star,  Abu Azeez, Ighalo shared his thoughts on the ongoing transfer brouhaha surrounding Osimhen.

“My advice would be for him to try the Premier League, but ultimately, he knows what’s best for himself,” Ighalo disclosed .”People can say all they want, but only the player knows what’s truly in his heart and mind.

“Whatever decision he makes, he has my full support—101%,” he added.

In a related development,  Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has admitted that it is “impossible” to win games with misfiring forwards following his side’s 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

Rasmus Hojlund once again failed to find the back of the net, meaning he now only has one goal in his last 28 appearances for the Red Devils, and the Denmark international continues to be linked with a summer exit amid his woes in front of goal.

Yet Amorim was eager to avoid responding to transfer rumours despite the fact that Osimhen, Liam Delap and Hugo Ekitike have all been tipped to join Man Utd during the 2025 summer window.  

“We will address that in the end,” Amorim admitted to reporters when asked about his side’s pursuit of a new centre forward.

“Of course we have a plan and we talk about that every day but the season is not over so let’s focus on that.

 “It’s a team thing. Of course we have an idea of what this team needs but also the guys we play with, we play at least three guys in front to score goals and we have midfielders… all the team needs to score more goals and you have opportunities with the midfielders and the striker.

“We need to improve as a team because if you don’t score goals in this league it’s impossible to win games.”

Galatasaray are aware that they cannot afford a permanent transfer for Juventus target Victor Osimhen and are hoping Napoli can come up with a solution within their reach.

A return to the Partenopei is the only option the Nigerian international has ruled out – while he reportedly feels comfortable at Galatasaray, where he is currently on loan, he knows that extending his stay in Istanbul beyond the end of the season will be difficult.

After failing to find a suitable buyer for the striker last summer, Napoli remain hopeful of selling Osimhen next season to any club willing to meet his €75 million release clause — especially after a brilliant campaign in which the 26-year-old has scored 29 goals in 33 appearances across all competitions so far.

Read Also: Galatasaray throws spanner into Osimhen’s transfer saga

However, according to Florian Plettenberg, Galatasaray are unable to trigger the forward’s buy-out clause, meaning that negotiating a ‘surprising solution’ with Napoli would be their only chance of keeping him.

At present, that scenario seems unlikely — particularly as the Serie A side still believe there are clubs out there capable of meeting their financial demands.

Juventus appear to be the only side to have shown concrete interest in Osimhen so far, but Napoli are reportedly unwilling to negotiate with a domestic rival, which could prompt them to explore alternative options, including a potential deal with Galatasaray, to sell the striker elsewhere.

The Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen said he hopes to make the best decision as it concerns his future.

“There are always rumours about me. But I live in the moment. I’m enjoying myself right now,” Osimhen said after he scored his 29th goal for Galatasaray on Friday at Samsunspor.

“The fans have also given me incredible support. They’ve been there not only for me but also for my friends and family. The decision will be made for what’s best for everyone.

“But Galatasaray will be in my heart forever.”

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The 2-0 win at third-placed Samsunspor ensured Galatasaray are three points ahead of closest rivals Fenerbache

“The focus is on us. We want to win every match. We have that quality too. We will not overcome our opponents and lift the trophy at the end of the season. We have to give everything when we step on the pitch,”  he said.

“We were a bit rushed in the first half, we wanted to show ourselves. We needed to have a bit more ball. We knew our opponent, it was to their advantage.

“We played more patiently in the second half. I am happy to score. We have to continue on that.”

Victor Osimhen’s grass-to-glory story is the one that is now pushing the leading scorer in the on-going U17 AFCON in Morocco, Alynho Haidara.

The 16-year-old striker has scored six goals, which is 60% of Cote d’Ivoire’s goals at the U17 AFCON.

He scored four goals against Central African Republic in his team’s opening game.

He was the only player from his team who made the official Dream XI of the group stage of the U17 AFCON, and several top clubs across Europe, including Belgian giants Anderlecht, are on his chase.

Read Also: Mikel  defends potential  Chelsea  deal for Osimhen

“He wants to learn everything; he looks up to Victor Osimhen enormously,” a youth coach at the tournament revealed.

Osimhen overcame a tough childhood growing up in Lagos to win the FIFA U17 World Cup in 2015.

He is now one of the best strikers in Europe.

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen continued his red-hot scoring form on Friday night, as Galatasaray recorded a 2-0 away win over Samsunspor at the Samsun 19 May Stadium.

On loan from Serie A side Napoli, Osimhen once again proved his worth, finishing calmly past the goalkeeper in the 46th minute after being expertly set up by teammate Yunus Akgün.

The goal sealed the win for the Turkish giants and reinforced Osimhen’s status as one of Europe’s most in-demand forwards.

The Nigerian international has now registered 29 goals and 6 assists in 33 all-competition appearances, a tally that has not gone unnoticed by top European clubs.

Read Also: Buruk blames int’l break for Galatasaray loss

Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Juventus are among the heavyweight suitors reportedly monitoring the 26-year-old ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.

Despite his uncertain club future, Osimhen’s current form is a major boost for Nigeria, who are preparing for the Unity Cup tournament in London.

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle will be hoping the striker maintains his momentum heading into a crucial period for the national team.

Former  Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel believes it would be sad if his  former club, Chelsea, fail to  sign  Nigeria international striker, Victor Osimhen.

Osimhen has caught the attention of several Premier League giants due to his impressive goal-scoring prowess at Napoli.

Despite speculation of a move last summer to the Stamford Bridge, he ended up on loan at Galatasaray when a permanent deal elsewhere failed to materialise. With his loan spell ending this summer, it’s believed Osimhen is looking for a lasting move and Chelsea, who have previously shown interest in the Nigerian ace, are said to be potential contenders.

Mikel, who spent over ten years at Stamford Bridge, remains in touch with 26-year-old countryman Osimhen and suggests that a simple call could clinch the deal – and snatch the striker away from another suitor including Manchester United.

“Listen, it will be really sad if we don’t get a player who supported us as a kid and wants to play for this football club,” Mikel expressed on The Obi One Podcast regarding Osimhen. “His idol is Drogba. He will want to break records, win us trophies, get us back to the top, and come for Drogba’s records. I’m telling you that would be his mission. If the club chose not to pursue it, then well, fair enough. Good luck to them, but the good thing about it is we know where we left it. We can literally pick the phone up and get him straight in the door. Get him in!”

Read Also: Mikel urges Chelsea to sign Victor Osimhen

However, if other claims are to be believed, it’s Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils that are showing the most concrete interest in Osimhen, claimed  the Mirror.

Sky Germany suggested  that United have a four-man wish-list for the summer window, with Osimhen’s name featuring prominently. Given Rasmus Hojlund’s underwhelming performances – netting just 24 goals in 84 games across all competitions after his big-money move from Serie A – and Joshua Zirkzee being deployed in a less forward role, a prolific No. 9 seems to be back on the Old Trafford radar this summer.

Osimhen’s contract reportedly carries a £64million release clause, and club legend Gary Neville believes the club should spare no expense to secure such a striker – as well as other recruits.

“They need five new players straight away before you even think about the rest of it. The three up front are not good enough, and the two wing-backs, they’re not good enough,” he declared on Sky Sports. “They need five players. They need to serve him [Amorim] with five players who are good enough in this system to be able to play his system the way he wants.”

The on-going  transfer  rumours  swirling  around Nigeria international striker, Victor Osimhen, has yet  again taken a new twist   with reported withdrawal of Chelsea  from the race to sign the ‘ great striker’.

Chelsea have been looking to sign a new striker for quite some time but they have not succeeded in signing a world class attacker that Enzo Maresca wants.

The Blues were linked with several attackers last summer including Viktor Gyokeres, Ivan Toney and Osimhen.

However, none of them was signed and the search is set to continue this summer. According to Caught Offside sources, Chelsea have decided to step back from the race to sign Osimhen.

For now, the Nigerian striker is not considered one of the main targets for their summer transfer plans.

While the Blues were previously entirely in the race for Osimhen, their interest has recently cooled.

After scoring 28 goals in 32 appearances this season for Galatasaray, Osimhen has been once again attracting attention from some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Manchester United.

The Blues are now focused on exploring other options to strengthen their attack: names like Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko are now higher on Chelsea’s list.

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Meanwhile, Sky Sports  have claimed that   another EPL giants, Liverpool , are angling for an alternative to Diogo Jota or Darwin Núñez up front with Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko on their radar.

At around £70m, both Osimhen and Sesko would come cheaper than a potential move for Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, whose transfer could cost upwards of £130m. Arsenal, Juventus, PSG and Manchester United all reportedly have interest in Osimhen and Sesko as well, so there could be a host of teams battling it out for them in the summer.

Chelsea’s withdrawal may change the dynamics of the transfer battle for the Nigerian, with Osimhen’s future still open and  his name remains one of the hottest in the market., and it is not excluded that

Luciano Spalletti, former Napoli manager  and current Italy’s national team coach,  has described the Nigerian player as a ‘great striker’.