Galatasaray President Insists Victor Osimhen Is Not for Sale Amid Chelsea, Barcelona Interest

Galatasaray president Dursun Özbek has declared that the Turkish champions have no intention of selling Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen this summer despite growing interest from several top European clubs, including Chelsea and Barcelona.

Osimhen enjoyed a sensational 2024/25 campaign with Galatasaray, helping the Istanbul giants win the Turkish Super Lig title and the domestic cup while restoring his reputation as one of Europe’s most feared strikers.

The Nigerian forward quickly became a fan favourite thanks to his goals, relentless pressing and all-round attacking influence, playing a key role in Galatasaray’s run to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League and a fourth consecutive league title.

At the time of his permanent transfer, Napoli reportedly demanded €75 million for the striker — a fee considered unprecedented in Turkish football, where no club had previously spent close to that amount on a single player.

Despite the financial challenge, Galatasaray pushed ahead with the deal, structuring payments in instalments while Özbek personally contributed funds to help complete the transfer.

Speaking about the negotiations, the Galatasaray president admitted it was one of the most difficult transfers he had ever handled.

“We initially signed Victor Osimhen on loan, and he performed magnificently,” Özbek said.

“He loves Galatasaray and Türkiye very much. He said he would stay at Galatasaray, and we started talking with Napoli.

“He has a €75 million release clause, and we started the transfer process accordingly. Napoli requested guarantees I had never seen before.

“We paid part of it upfront, and I provided part from my own company. In that sense, it was a very difficult transfer. Osimhen showed with his performance that he deserved this money.”

Özbek also made it clear that Galatasaray are building their future around the Nigerian striker and are not interested in listening to offers.

“We don’t intend to sell Victor Osimhen. Putting a price on a player you don’t intend to sell is like dressing a footballer before he’s even born,” he added.

Osimhen’s performances have continued to attract attention from Europe’s elite clubs, with Chelsea reportedly leading the race in England. Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle United are also believed to be monitoring the striker.

In Spain, both Real Madrid and Barcelona are said to admire the former African Footballer of the Year, while Atlético Madrid reportedly see him as a perfect fit for Diego Simeone’s system.

Italian giants Juventus and AC Milan, as well as French champions Paris Saint-Germain, have also been linked with the 27-year-old forward.

However, Galatasaray’s valuation of over €100 million, combined with Osimhen’s significant salary demands, could make any potential transfer extremely complicated this summer.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

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