“Bright Osayi-Samuel will fancy Galatasaray if England doesn’t work” — Turkish Pundit

By Monsurah Olatunji

Fenerbahçe is reportedly set to make a new, improved offer to Nigerian defender Bright Osayi-Samuel amid growing speculation surrounding his future.

The 27-year-old has been heavily linked with a potential free transfer move to English Premier League clubs, including Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, at the end of the current season.

Osayi-Samuel, who joined Fenerbahçe from Queens Park Rangers in 2021 for a reported €500,000, is in the final months of his contract.

Since his arrival, the Super Eagles star has become a key figure for the Turkish giants, featuring in both the UEFA Europa League and Champions League and helping the team win the Turkish Cup in 2023.

Osayi-Samuel has made 172 appearances for Fenerbahçe, scoring seven goals and providing 15 assists. Despite his success in Turkey, his contract is set to expire, and Fenerbahçe is eager to secure his services for the future.

However, Turkish football expert Zeki Uzundurukan has revealed that Osayi-Samuel could consider a move to Fenerbahçe’s archrivals, Galatasaray, should his potential Premier League move fall through.

“Galatasaray is in the game for Osayi,” Uzundurukan told Gsgazete. “This transfer could be like the Batshuayi move last year. Because his contract is ending and the player wants a lot of money.”

Uzundurukan noted that the move could be beneficial for Osayi-Samuel, as there are no foreigner limits in Turkey and the player already knows the league well. “If he goes to Galatasaray, he will play directly. I don’t think Jelert will cut Osayi,” he added.

The pundit also confirmed that Osayi-Samuel’s agent is in contact with Galatasaray, with the player reportedly open to considering the move if his English Premier League prospects do not materialize.

“His agent is in contact with Galatasaray. He has clearly stated that they will consider Galatasaray if England doesn’t work,” Uzundurukan stated.

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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