Victor Osimhen to join Galatasaray on loan from Napoli

Napoli has agreed to loan Victor Osimhen to Galatasaray for one year after he missed a transfer to Chelsea and failed to secure a move to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal.

Football journalist Fabrizio Romano reported:

“Napoli have accepted a straight loan proposal but with no option to buy, and Galatasaray will cover about £10m of his salary.”

It is now up to Osimhen to approve the move.

Napoli has confirmed that Osimhen will not return to their squad after a transfer saga that saw Romelu Lukaku brought in as his replacement.

Victor Osimhen ‘s football journey

Victor Osimhen’s rise in football is an inspiring journey from Nigeria’s youth leagues to European stardom.

He began his career with Ultimate Strikers Academy in Lagos.

He gained international attention during the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, where he was the top scorer and led Nigeria to victory.

This performance opened doors for him in Europe, and in 2017, he signed with VfL Wolfsburg in Germany.

However, his time there was challenging due to injuries and limited playing time.

Osimhen’s career took a positive turn in 2018 when he was loaned to Charleroi in Belgium.

There, he rediscovered his form, scoring 20 goals in all competitions, which led to a transfer to Lille in France.

At Lille, he continued his upward trajectory, netting 13 goals in Ligue 1 during the 2019-2020 season.

In 2020, Napoli secured his services for a club-record fee of over €60 million.

Osimhen’s impact at Napoli was immediate, and he played a pivotal role in the club’s historic 2022-2023 Serie A title win, their first in 33 years.

His goal-scoring ability, particularly in crucial matches, endeared him to fans, making him one of the most celebrated players in the club’s recent history.

Beyond club success, Osimhen has been a key figure for Nigeria’s national team, contributing significantly in various tournaments.

His rise from Lagos to a top European striker showcases his determination and talent, earning him recognition as a football star.

His missed transfers

Victor Osimhen’s recent transfer saga has been marked by missed opportunities and significant speculation.

Two high-profile moves that didn’t materialize were to Chelsea and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal.

Chelsea targeted Osimhen after his standout 2023-2024 season with Napoli, where he scored 31 goals and won Serie A.

However, negotiations with Chelsea fell through in the final hours before the transfer deadline.

Reports suggest that Chelsea was ready to make Osimhen their highest-paid player.

However, the deal collapsed due to disagreements over personal terms, particularly concerning the contract structure and wage expectations.

Chelsea had even considered a swap deal involving Romelu Lukaku, but Napoli’s stance and Osimhen’s preferences halted progress.

Simultaneously, Al-Hilal, one of the top clubs in the Saudi Pro League, was prepared to offer a lucrative contract reportedly worth €160 million over four years.

Despite the financial appeal, Osimhen preferred to stay in Europe for its competitive leagues over the growing Saudi league.

This decision led Al-Hilal to pursue alternative targets, ultimately signing Ivan Toney from Brentford.

These failed transfers have had significant ramifications for Osimhen’s future at Napoli.

With Romelu Lukaku now filling the striker role, Napoli has left Osimhen out of their squad for the Serie A season, effectively freezing him out of the team.

This situation precipitated the loan agreement with Galatasaray, as Napoli seeks to offload Osimhen temporarily while avoiding a complete transfer loss

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