Tag: Osimhen

The scrambling for the signature of Nigeria International striker Victor Osimhen has yet taken a new dimension  with  Manchester United reportedly ‘agreeing  to pay the release fee’ for the Napoli loanee  with Galatasaray  even as  both PSG and Juventus were still pushing harder for his services. 

Osimhen has consistently been on the radar of Premier League clubs in recent years, but he missed out on a move to Chelsea during the summer transfer window after Napoli made him available.

Osimhen has continued in the same goal-scoring vein for the Turkish giants, finding the net 17 times in 23 games this season, with several top European clubs keeping tabs on him ahead of the summer.

The striker’s release fee now stands at £65m having been over £100m before his move to Turkey, and journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu from Turkish outlet Sports Digitale claimed  Galatasaray have given up hope of securing his permanent transfer.

He said: “Victor Osimhen is about to sign a world-famous management company. In fact, these negotiations are initiated  by a player from Real Madrid. What does this mean? The possibility of an agreement with Galatasaray in June has decreased a lot.”

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And the journalist went on to reveal that United have agreed to pay Napoli the £65m required to sign him in the summer, but so too have PSG.

“PSG and Manchester United made their verbal offer to the player’s side regarding the salary and contract period. Because both clubs agreed to pay Napoli the release fee. It is very difficult for Galatasaray to compete with these two clubs. He is probably leaving at the end of the season,” he added.

Incidentally, the Old Lady of Italian football, Juventus, are reportedly plotting moves ahead of the summer transfer window and are  hoping to pull off deals for Osimhen and Randal Kolo Muani as Dusan Vlahovic looks increasingly likely to leave the club in the next few months.

Juventus signed Kolo Muani to compete and rotate with Vlahovic during the January transfer window, but they were only able to secure a straight loan deal with PSG  until the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

As a result, Kolo Muani will return to Paris in the summer, but recent reports claim that the Bianconeri will look to agree another season-long loan deal and could possibly include an option to buy as well.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Calciomercato.com) Juventus Director  Cristiano Giuntoli and his team are simultaneously working on a move for Osimhen, who is currently out on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli.

The Nigeria international has a release clause worth €75m(about £65m) in the summer, and like the Kolo Muani situation at PSG, is not expected to return to the Napoli squad.

As per Calciomercato.com, a  deal for Osimhen will not be particularly easy for Juventus to pull off given his price tag and the fact that Napoli will not likely be willing to negotiate with a direct rival in the league.

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has taken legal action against a Turkish journalist who accused him of physical assault, following Galatasaray’s thrilling 3-3 draw with Dynamo Kyiv two weeks ago.

The 26-year-old forward, who has been in outstanding form this season with 16 goals and five assists in 21 appearances, is now facing off-field scrutiny amid the rising controversy surrounding the alleged incident.

Bozduman alleged that Osimhen became aggressive and punched him while he was attempting to take photos of the striker outside a venue.

Further reports claimed that the Napoli loanee offered money in exchange for the deletion of footage of the incident, adding fuel to the growing controversy.

However, Osimhen has strongly denied the allegations, calling them “false and malicious” through Super Eagles media officer Promise Efoghe.

The Nigerian forward clarified that he had been dining at an African restaurant with friends, not partying at a nightclub as initially claimed.

Read Also: Osimhen scores in Galatasaray vital win

He explained that when leaving in his friend’s car, a group of journalists, including Bozduman, began taking unsolicited photos. Despite repeatedly requesting privacy, his pleas were ignored, leading to heightened tensions.

Osimhen has expressed his disappointment over the incident, stating, “If I hit him, he’s going to get justice, and if he lied, he’s going to get the rot of the law.” Osimhen’s decision to sue reflects his determination to clear his name and defend his reputation.

Despite the off-field drama, Osimhen remains focused on helping Galatasaray challenge for the Turkish Süper Lig title and the UEFA Europa League.

His defiant celebration following Galatasaray’s recent win over Konyaspor, where he mocked his critics, highlights his resilience amid the controversy. The case is set to begin on January 26, with both sides ready to present their versions of events.

Victor Osimhen, the prolific Nigerian striker currently playing for Galatasaray, finds himself at the centre of a controversy that has nothing to do with his goal-scoring prowess.

Turkish media, particularly Posta, report that the forward allegedly assaulted a journalist outside an Istanbul nightclub last night.

The incident reportedly occurred as Osimhen was leaving the venue with friends. Apparently irritated by the reporter’s presence, the striker’s reaction may have put him in a precarious situation.

Tolga Bozduman, the journalist in question, described the scene: “I was filming Osimhen as he exited, accompanied by three colleagues. When the camera flashes stopped, he became furious. He rushed towards me, shouting, and attempted to grab my camera. When I refused to let go, he punched me. It still hurts. Then he started swearing and said, ‘Destroy the photos, I’ll give you money.’ I refused, and he threatened me, saying, ‘I’ll destroy you.’”

Read Also: Osimhen grabs season’s 15th goal in Gala’s unfortunate  draw

As of now, there have been no official statements regarding the incident, neither from Galatasaray nor from the player himself. This isn’t the first time Osimhen has been involved in such a situation. Last August, when he was still with Napoli under Antonio Conte’s management, a similar episode occurred involving a fan filming him outside a venue.

This alleged altercation comes at a time when Osimhen has been making headlines for his performances on the pitch. The striker has been a key figure in Galatasaray’s attacking line-up this season, contributing over 20 goals across all competitions. However, this off-field incident could potentially overshadow his sporting achievements and raise questions about his behaviour and professionalism.

Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis  has  largely  being blamed  for  the continued  transfer circus surrounding Nigeria International forward , Victor Osimhen.

This much is  the opinion of   former  Napoli coach Rudi Garcia as he  squarely blamed Laurentiis for his poor handling of  Osimhen’s contractual situation during the last  Summer Transfer Window.

The rift between Osimhen and the club’s management has been well-documented, particularly during the summer transfer window when it seemed every move by the Nigerian striker to leave was systematically sabotaged by the Napoli hierarchy.

Despite interests  from prominent clubs across Europe, Osimhen was  thrown into the lurch  as Napoli practically thwarted  every possible move for  the 25-year-old Nigerian. He  had to settle for  a loan deal to Turkish giants, Galatasaray  where he has  been in excellent scoring  form.  

Speaking  on the  circumstances that led  to the unceremonious exit of Osimhen from Napoli, Garcia  said matter-of-factly that the Napoli President lacks the necessary footballing acumen to navigate such complex situations,  adding  ‘Aurelio De Laurentiis simply doesn’t understand football’ in an interview with Haber Sarı Kırmızı.

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He continued:  “Had he opted to keep me at the helm, we would have qualified for the Champions League instead of languishing in 10th  place. At my age, I won’t let a president dictate how I manage my team.

“I became a scapegoat because I insisted he remain in his lane,” Garcia lamented.

Osimhen’s contract saga has been a major talking point in recent months. The Nigerian striker’s contract was set to expire next summer, which led to a series of offers from other clubs. However, De Laurentiis insisted on a €130 million valuation, which ultimately led to Osimhen being loaned out to Galatasaray.

Despite extending his contract until 2026, Osimhen’s future at Napoli remains uncertain. Garcia’s comments have only added fuel to the fire, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold in the coming months.

French giants, Paris Saint Germain, must be ready  to pay  two clauses amounting to  about 81 million euros (about N131.8 billion) to secure  the signature of  Nigeria international striker Victor  Osimhen  in the upcoming January Transfer Window.

Italian famous  pink paper, La Gazzetta dello Sport, reportedly claimed  the Ligue 1 side  are still interested in the 25-year-old  Super Eagles forward but would be required to pay a double release clause in the January transfer window.

Currently on loan from Napoli  at Galatasaray, words are rife that  with a release clause valid in the January transfer window,  Osimhen’s future  still remains in doubt hence  PSG are  willing to exploit  the possibility  of signing  the Nigerian forward.

Meanwhile, Gazzetta  reportedly  confirmed that Osimhen’s deal with Napoli includes a €75m clause valid for January, but any club interested in the Napoli loanee next month would need to add an extra fee to free him from Galatasaray.

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Incidentally,  another Italian news outlet, Corriere dello Sport reported in October that the compensation for Galatasaray is set at €6m. So put together, that  is €81m (about N131.8 billion)  for any team  desirous in signing Osimhen in January.

Yet , Gazzetta believes  PSG remain interested  in Osimhen for January, adding  the French club’s director, Luis Campos who is a long-time admirer of the Nigerian  could be a big factor to smoothing  the deal having already worked with the striker at Lille.

Osimhen is currently injured but has scored ten goals and provided five assists in 13 appearances across all competitions with Galatasaray this season.

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Manchester United are preparing an offer for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen ahead of the January transfer window, according to reports in Italy.

The Red Devils drew 1-1 with Ipswich Town on Sunday with Marcus Rashford opened the scoring inside two minutes before a long-range deflected effort from Omari Hutchinson gave the Tractor Boys a share of the spoils.

The point pushed Manchester United up one place to 12th in the Premier League table and also marked a small forward step in Ruben Amorim’s first match in charge of the Red Devils.

Read Also: Galatasaray dismisses Osimhen’s January  exit

A big theme of discussion this season has been the lack of goals from Manchester  United with Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee only scoring four league goals between them all campaign.

Zirkzee, who was signed from Serie A side Bologna for £36.5m in the summer transfer window, has already been linked with a move back to Italy with some reports claiming the Manchester  United board see him as a ‘lost cause’ already.

Super Eagles and Galatasaray striker, Victor James Osimhen, has revealed he was angry with himself for not scoring more goals in his side’s 3-2 win against Tottenham Hotspur Thursday evening.

The Napoli loanee bagged a brace, courtesy of two assists from his former teammate in Naples, Dries Mertens, but the Belgian came off in the 73rd minute while Osimhen was withdrawn six minutes later.

Speaking after the game, Osimhen revealed defeating Ange Postecoglu’s side was no easy task, and faulted himself for not scoring more goals at RAMS Park last night.

 “It was a difficult game. We knew the opponents we were up against and they’re very good in the final third. They also know how to keep the ball impressively, so, I have to give them credit for that, but we deserved the win because we played good and we were very decisive in our final third.

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To be able to contribute with two goals is something that’s very important. Now we’ll go back to prepare and recover for the next game.

“Playing intensely is my game. I’m the kind of striker that’s very explosive, so it’s important for me to always look into space and try to exploit it. I could have scored four, and I lost a bit of focus with the chances I missed and that are why I was really angry with myself. I’ll go back, watch the clip and try to do better.”

Galatasaray are now third in the UEFA Europa League group phase table, behind Chuba Akpom’s Ajax and Fisayo Ayodele-Bashiru’s Lazio.