Bright Osayi-Samuel dismisses Besiktas transfer rumours, slams Turkish media for “propaganda”

By Oluwadamilola Olaleye

Nigeria defender Bright Osayi-Samuel has denied reports suggesting a bitter fallout with Fenerbahçe led to failed transfer talks with Turkish rivals Besiktas, accusing the Turkish media of fabricating stories and stirring unnecessary controversy.

The 26-year-old right-back, who recently signed a three-year deal with Birmingham City, spoke candidly about his departure from Turkey and the speculation surrounding his future in an interview published by Birmingham Live.

“The Turkish media… I’ve had a lot of issues with them. Maybe they are picking on me or something,” Osayi-Samuel said.

Days before completing his return to English football, Turkish media outlets reported that a potential move to Besiktas collapsed due to alleged excessive financial demands made by the player’s father — a claim Osayi-Samuel firmly denied.

“There was interest from Besiktas, which is the rival of my team, and they wanted to sign me and spoke to my agent, but I never had interest to go there,” he said.

“I played four years at Fenerbahçe and they did a lot for me, so it was impossible for me to go [to Besiktas]. Then they made an article saying my dad was asking for too much money — and that’s just the Turkish way.”

Osayi-Samuel joined Birmingham City earlier this week on a deal that runs until the summer of 2028, marking a return to England after four seasons in the Turkish Süper Lig.

His signing is seen as a key step in the club’s push for promotion back to the Premier League.

“When I heard about Birmingham, I wanted to come here,” he added.

Known for his pace and versatility, Osayi-Samuel made over 100 appearances for Fenerbahçe after joining from Queens Park Rangers in 2021.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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