Julius Okorie
The desire of Turkish club Galatasaray, to sign Super Eagles talisman Victor Osimhen on a permanent deal is on the verge of hitting the rocks, after Napoli turned down €65 million bid.
Osimhen, who has netted 12 goals for Gala this season in 15 games, has become the toast of fans and club management reason that it will be a mistake not to offer him a permanent deal.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe Turkish giants aim to activate Osimhen’s loan agreement, but their bid fell short of the striker’s €75 million release clause. Napoli considers the €10 million short fall too big to be ignored.
The 26-year-old joined Galatasaray on loan until the end of the season, but without an option for the club to make the move permanent.
However, Galatasaray possesses unique leverage in these negotiations due to a specific compensation clause built into the loan agreement.
This clause states that if Osimhen were to transfer to another club during the January transfer window, Galatasaray would be entitled to a €6 million compensation fee from Napoli, effectively raising his release clause to €81 million for potential suitors this winter.
Thus, under the current arrangement, only Galatasaray can sign the striker for the original €75 million during this month, while other clubs will have to wait until the summer to activate the same release clause.
Osimhen’s release clause had initially been set at a staggering €130 million, but this was adjusted last summer when he signed a new contract with Napoli, which allowed him to move to Galatasaray on loan.
Since joining the Turkish league leaders, the Nigeria international has been in remarkable form, scoring 16 goals and recording five assists in just 20 appearances. His contribution has been vital in helping Galatasaray maintain their position at the top of the Süper Lig.
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In a recent statement, Osimhen who is sure to be on parade as Galatasaray take on Ajax tonight in the UEFA Europa League, reaffirmed his commitment to Galatasaray, declaring, “I will not leave in January; I am at Galatasaray until the end of the season.
“I do not know what Galatasaray and Napoli are discussing for future arrangements, but I am open to conversations if they approach me.”
Galatasaray will look to prolong their unbeaten record in the league phase of the UEFA Europa League at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on tonight.
The 24-time Süper Lig champions earned a point in their last match, drawing 3-3 at home against Dynamo Kyiv.
Interestingly, Osimhen, Davinson Sánchez and Abdülkerim Bardakci, accounted for the three goals, helping Gala to remain unbeaten their last 26 games in all competitions.
Galatasaray are ninth in the table on 13 points, while Ajax’s 10 points place them 16th. Both sides are currently in position for a place in the knockout round play-offs.
The last time the clubs came up against each other it was Galatasaray who claimed a 2-1 success in January 2014. Can Gala retain the bragging right?
Two players who have been key players for Ajax in Europa League play are Kenneth Taylor and Mika Godts. The pair are the team’s joint top scorers with three goals.
Taylor has scored the critical first goal of the match once. Yunus Akgün has been the most prolific player for Galatasaray, netting on five occasions in this season’s Europa League. The attacking midfielder is tied as the competition’s top scorer in 2024/2025.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
