Osimhen set to join Galatasaray on loan

Victor Osimhen is set to join Galatasaray on loan, according to multiple media reports from Nigeria and Europe.

Nigerian broadcaster Onokala Onyebuchi known as ‘Buchi Laba’ and photo journalist Sulaiman Adebayo a.k.a ‘Pooja Media’ who are very close to Osimhen on Monday disclosed that Galatasaray were in talks with Napoli over signing the striker on loan.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano thereafter corroborated Buchi and Pooja’s report via a post on his X account on Monday, adding that Osimhen’s loan move to Galatasaray is almost done.

“Galatasaray have agreed to cover € 9 million out of €10m as salary of Victor Osimhen until the end of the season,” Romano wrote.

“Loan deal agreed with Napoli does NOT include any buy option/obligation clause. Mission in Napoli to get Victor’s green light.”

Napoli manager, Antonio Conte on Saturday said that the club has no plan to reintegrate Osimhen into their squad this season.

Conte said this during the post-match press conference of the Serie A game which saw Napoli defeat Parma 2-1 at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

Reporters asked the coach if there is the possibility that Osimhen would be reintegrated into the Napoli squad at some point during the 2024/25 season.

“No player will be reintegrated. Those who are out of the project will remain out of the project. We made our choices and work in one direction all together,” Conte explained.

The Napoli manager further said that the club would have had a perfect summer transfer window with the sale of the Nigerian striker.

“I am happy with the work the club did on the market. If there had been the sale of Victor Osimhen, we would have completed the situation but I am happy,” he said.

Napoli director, Giovanni Manna also revealed that Osimhen was very clear he does not want to play for the club again, so they made other choices and doubts whether the Nigerian will still go to Saudi Arabia this summer.

The summer transfer window deadline day drama around the Super Eagles striker dominated the news cycle on Friday as moves to first Saudi Pro League side, Al-Ahli and then Chelsea seemed to collapse.

Speaking to DAZN before the kick-off of Napoli’s 2-1 Serie A win over Parma, director of sport, Manna did not hold back on the issues surrounding the situation.

“The situation is very clear, it has been since the end of last season. Victor expressed his absolute desire to not stay at Napoli, to not play for Napoli and we tried to make him happy,” Manna said.

“Then, there is a demand and an offer, we thought that we had concluded the negotiations but then, it did not go through. We bought Lukaku, kept Raspadori and Simeone which was not to be taken for granted.

“At this moment, we maintain the same consistency we had since the start: he expressed the desire to no longer play for Napoli and so, we made other choices.”

Reporters thereafter asked Manna if there is still a possibility that Osimhen can be sold, for example to a different club in the Saudi Pro League.

“The transfer market is still open, there are many options but I don’t think Victor will go to Saudi Arabia in this transfer session,” he replied.

“Osimhen’s situation is also a huge financial weight on the club, as his sale was meant to raise funds for new transfers.

“Our ideas were clear from the start. We were waiting to sell Victor to finance these operations but the sale did not arrive.

“The President then decided to take on the responsibility to invest and reboot. He took on all the risks, he was incredible.”