Napoli striker Victor Osimhen is nearing a loan move to Galatasaray, with both the former Italian champions and the player reaching an agreement on Monday. This transfer comes after a previously unsuccessful move to Chelsea, leaving Osimhen with an opportunity to exit Napoli before the Turkish transfer window closes on September 13.
Reports from Corriere dello Sport and updates from Nigerian sources, including Wazobia FM OAPs Buchi Laba and Sulaiman Adebayo, known as Pooja, confirm the deal’s rapid progress. Sky Sport Italia and RMC Sport have indicated that Napoli has approved a dry loan, meaning there will be no option to buy, provided Galatasaray covers Osimhen’s full salary of nearly €11 million per season. An alternative would have involved the Turkish club paying a loan fee while sharing the player’s wages.
Napoli’s sporting director Giovanni Manna has confirmed the negotiations with Galatasaray, stating, “It is correct to say we are in talks with Galatasaray and we are close to an agreement.”
Additionally, Pooja Media reports that both clubs have discussed the possibility of triggering Osimhen’s €130 million release clause by potential suitors in January 2025. Despite his initial preference for an English Premier League move, Osimhen, faced with the prospect of sitting out the season until January, is enthusiastic about the opportunity to join Galatasaray.
Osimhen’s wage demands proved too high for Chelsea, who offered €4 million annually plus €4 million in performance-related bonuses, a stark contrast to his €12 million annual salary at Napoli. Napoli also reached an agreement with Al-Ahli for €70 million plus €10 million in bonuses, with Osimhen set to earn €40 million per season, but the deal fell through after Napoli requested an additional €5 million, causing frustration for the Saudis.
With no viable alternatives, and Napoli’s insistence that Osimhen no longer wished to play for them, the striker is set to reunite with former teammate Dries Mertens in Istanbul. While Osimhen had hoped to join a Champions League team, he will still have the chance to compete in the Europa League with Galatasaray, who are set to face Tottenham Hotspur and Ajax in the tournament.
WRITTEN BY; CHRISTOPHER AND SUNITA