By Monsurah Olatunji
Former Chelsea forward Michy Batshuayi has sparked debate by claiming that he is more technically gifted than Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, his current Galatasaray teammate.
Batshuayi, who scored his sixth goal of the season in 18 appearances across all competitions in Galatasaray’s 1-0 win over Bodrum, made the bold statement following a match where he and Osimhen played together in attack.
While Batshuayi has been a key figure in the Lions’ frontline, Osimhen—who joined on a season-long loan from Napoli—has impressed with eight goals and four assists in just 10 appearances this season.
With Marco Icardi sidelined due to injury, Osimhen and Batshuayi have become the focal points of coach Okan Buruk’s attack.
Despite Osimhen’s strong form, he was unable to score in their recent match against Bodrum, which led to Batshuayi reflecting on his own strengths as a striker.
“In terms of playing as a double or single forward, I can adapt to both,” Batshuayi told Galatasaray’s official website.
“Victor is good at long and aerial balls, while I can also make deep runs. I believe I am technically better, but ultimately, the coach’s choice is key. We both offer the coach different options.”
The comments have stirred interest as Batshuayi positions himself as an alternative in Galatasaray’s attacking setup, despite Osimhen’s reputation as the reigning African Player of the Year.
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.
