By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigeria international Bright Osayi-Samuel is on the verge of completing a move from Fenerbahçe to bitter rivals Beşiktaş after contract renewal talks with the Yellow Canaries collapsed, according to reports from Turkish outlet Sözcü.
The 27-year-old Nigerian defender has reportedly agreed to a €2.5 million-per-year deal with Beşiktaş, marking a significant coup for the Black Eagles—and a major setback for new Fenerbahçe manager José Mourinho, who was keen to retain the versatile full-back.
Negotiations initially stalled as Beşiktaş attempted to bring down Osayi-Samuel’s wage demands to €2 million annually, but the club ultimately agreed to match his full salary expectations in order to seal the deal.
Barring any last-minute changes, Osayi-Samuel is expected to undergo a medical in the coming days. His official unveiling is tentatively scheduled ahead of Beşiktaş’s pre-season preparations, which begin on June 28.
The former Queens Park Rangers man joined Fenerbahçe in 2021 and has since become a regular presence in the squad, known for his pace, physicality, and attacking contributions from defense.
His departure would leave a significant gap in the team’s right flank heading into the new season.
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.
