By Wale Mustapha
Galatasaray president Dursun Özbek has hinted that Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen will remain at the club for the 2025/26 season, following his prolific loan spell from Napoli.
Osimhen, 26, recently rejected a big-money offer from Saudi side Al Hilal despite the club activating his €75 million release clause. The Super Eagles forward is understood to be prioritizing a continued career in European football.
Speaking to Hurriyet, Özbek confirmed that Galatasaray are in negotiations with Osimhen to make the move permanent.
“Victor Osimhen is staying at Galatasaray. His affection [for the club] will be the most important factor. Negotiations are ongoing,” he said. “We hope to give you good news next week.”
Osimhen was instrumental in Galatasaray’s title-winning campaign, scoring 37 goals and providing seven assists in all competitions. His form has sparked widespread interest across Europe, but the Turkish champions are hopeful of keeping him in Istanbul.
The club is expected to intensify efforts in the coming days to finalize terms and secure Osimhen’s long-term future at Rams Park.
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.
