Gomez: Getting Osimhen to join Galatasaray a dream move we never expected

Galatasaray have been home to some of Europe’s best players in recent years, but getting Victor Osimhen to join the Turkish side tops everything the club had done in the past, confesses assistant manager, Ismael Garcia Gomez.

Gomez told BBC that even Galatasaray were taken by surprise when the opportunity arose to sign one of the world’s most in-demand strikers.

When it became obvious that Napoli were determined to part ways with their top striker in August, 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.

Osimhen’s move on loan to Turkey, according to Gomez, was done within two days as Galatasaray became an option when the rest of the European transfer window closed, except Turkey.

“Galatasaray was an amazing option for him,” Garcia Gomez says. “The info we had was that he was super motivated to be part of our family, so it was very simple to make the deal.”

The response outside of Turkey was generally shock that Osimhen had joined a Turkish club rather than go to the prestige of England, or the cash of Saudi Arabia – but Turkish football journalist Kaan Bayazit says Galatasaray fit Osimhen on several levels.

“The wages being thrown around in the Premier League now make a big difference,” he told BBC Sport. “Nottingham Forest wouldn’t bat an eyelid at his wages. But Galatasaray have been breaking the bank in recent years. Also I don’t think Osimhen wanted to settle, he wanted to stay at the very top.

“You either go for ambition, or you go for the really big bag – and he wanted the top level.”
Osimhen has joined one of the biggest clubs in Europe by fanbase and expectation. Galatasaray are 24-time Turkish champions and have won the past two Super Lig titles.

The Galatasaray squad is packed with familiar names including Mauro Icardi, Hakim Ziyech and Davinson Sanchez.

“He has been smart, humble, coming to our club,” Garcia Gomez said. “The main part of squad has been together for two years, winning back-to-back championships.

“But he came in a smart way, trying to be a part of it, not as a typical star. He was not expecting the club will adapt to him, but he has been very humble and hard working.”

The approach has helped Osimhen – after failing to score in his opening two matches, he has netted four times in his last three league games.
Part of Osimhen’s success has come from Buruk adjusting his tactics – which, Bayazit says, has not been without teething trouble.

“They have made some adjustments already – they played 3-5-2 against Besiktas for example, after they played 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 in recent seasons,” he says.

“Icardi was injured when Osimhen came in. The expectation when Osimhen came in was that Icardi would be out for a longer time. But then he came back for the Fenerbahce derby, so now they are working around that.”

Osimhen’s arrival being unexpected can be seen in the way players are deployed around him. The 3-5-2 was played against Besiktas despite Galatasaray’s lack of specialist full-backs. Galatasaray won 2-1 – Osimhen scoring the winner – with two goals from set-pieces, having given up the majority of possession and chances.

Other experiments include a 4-4-2 versus Kasimpasa, where Galatasaray led 3-0 at half-time before being pegged back to draw 3-3.

Osimhen scored twice in the first half before being subbed at the break with a muscle strain, and watched from the bench as his new side dropped points for the first time this season.
But with Galatasaray three points clear of second-placed Samsunspor after 10 league games, the results so far indicate Osimhen’s addition has been successful.

“He’s come from a part of Italy in the south which is passionate; which is very close culturally to Turkey,” says Gomez. “It has not been a big change.

“He was a key part in the Scudetto, now he is coming to a winning club. It is not easy to win Super Lig back to back. He is a winner, that makes it simple and smooth.”

The question now is how long Osimhen will stay at Galatasaray and feel that Turkish love.
He has a 130m euro release clause at Napoli, while there are also rumours of a break clause, external in his loan at Galatasaray which would allow him to move on in January.
He continues to be linked with several major European clubs, including Tottenham, Galatasaray’s opponents in the Europa League, yesterday.

For Osimhen, this could be a chance to place himself in the early Christmas shopping window.

According to Bayazit, it is also a question of finances and squad balance for Galatasaray.

“If I was an accountant I would say, ‘don’t do it’,” he said when asked if Galatasaray will aim to keep the striker beyond his loan.

He suggested that Napoli “will want 50m euros bare minimum” as a transfer fee. Galatasaray’s record signing is midfielder Gabriel Sara from Norwich last summer for 18m euros.
Bayazit also highlights the issue of TV rights in Turkish football.

In the summer a new deal was struck with Bein Media for $182m a season. Before 2019-20, the Super Lig had a $500m yearly deal, but fluctuations in the Turkish lira saw the contract renegotiated, external.

“Galatasaray have Mauro Icardi, so they should spend that money on a different position to centre forward,” added Bayazit.

“One reason it was a really surprising move was that they have great strikers but no star wingers.

“Fans were very critical before Osimhen happened as there was no star winger. They are now happy, but as a puzzle piece fitting in, it doesn’t make sense.”

Unsurprisingly, Gomez kept his cards close to his chest when asked about Osimhen’s future.

“Hopefully this relationship remains,” he said. “But we must be focused on the present.”

Culled from BBC