By Wale Mustapha
Former Liverpool and Newcastle United striker, Graeme Souness, has praised Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen for making what he described as the “right decision” by securing a permanent move to Galatasaray.
Osimhen, 26, officially joined the Turkish Super Lig champions on a two-year deal worth €75 million ($85.74 million), making him the most expensive incoming transfer in Turkish football history.
The deal follows a successful loan spell at Galatasaray last season, where the Super Eagles striker scored 26 goals and registered seven assists in 30 league appearances, helping the club clinch the league title.
Souness, speaking to Futboo, highlighted the importance of player-club chemistry and applauded Osimhen’s decision to stay with a team where he is clearly thriving.
“Some players value affection, some don’t. Victor Osimhen had a great season and was loved. If being loved is important to you and you want to feel it, Galatasaray is the right place,” Souness said.
“Osimhen is very lucky to have had this experience at such a young age. He could have done well elsewhere, but would he be this happy?
“The fans love him, he’s on good terms with [head coach] Okan Buruk, he knows the team. He’s positive in every way.”
Osimhen’s return has been met with widespread excitement among Galatasaray supporters, who are hopeful he can lead the team to further domestic and continental success.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
