“Not football-related” — Former Napoli star laments Osimhen’s Galatasaray move

By Monsurah Olatunji 

Former Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik has suggested that Victor Osimhen’s recent loan move to Galatasaray may not be solely driven by footballing reasons.

Hamsik, a Napoli legend who played for the club from 2007 to 2019, left just before Osimhen joined Napoli in a record transfer from Lille.

Although the two never shared a dressing room, Hamsik remains closely connected to Napoli and has been following the developments surrounding the club, including the Osimhen transfer saga.

Osimhen’s loan to Galatasaray came after he failed to secure a move to either Chelsea or Al Ahli on transfer deadline day, and was subsequently frozen out of Antonio Conte’s squad.

Reports indicate that Napoli had initially accepted an €80 million offer from Al Ahli, only to request an additional €5 million, which led to tensions with the Saudi Arabian club.

The Nigerian striker had extended his contract with Napoli in December, keeping him at the club until 2026 with a release clause of around €130 million.

Despite the loan deal with Galatasaray not including an option to buy, Hamsik believes the transfer goes beyond just footballing motives.

“I’m sorry Osimhen left, but it’s probably not entirely related to football,” Hamsik commented via YahSports.

“I am not involved in this, and Napoli signed a valuable replacement. Lukaku is a top striker and can easily score 20 goals.”

With Romelu Lukaku now at Napoli, the club appears to have found a capable replacement for Osimhen, ensuring they remain competitive despite the departure of their former star.