By Wale Mustapha
Real Madrid have officially joined the race to sign Nigerian international Victor Osimhen, with new manager Xabi Alonso reportedly sanctioning a move for the prolific striker as part of his plans to revamp the club’s attack.
Osimhen, who spent last season on loan at Turkish side Galatasaray from Napoli, played a pivotal role in securing the Süper Lig and Turkish Cup double for the Istanbul club.
He finished the campaign with an impressive 37 goals and 7 assists across all competitions.
With a summer exit from Napoli widely expected, several top European clubs have expressed interest in securing Osimhen’s signature.
While Saudi club Al Hilal had been leading the chase, a proposed deal is now believed to have stalled after failing to materialize before their internal deadline of June 5.
Galatasaray remain eager to keep the 25-year-old striker in Turkey, but growing interest from elite European clubs could complicate their chances of a permanent deal.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Real Madrid view Osimhen as a key target in their summer rebuild.
Alonso, who officially took charge of the Spanish giants this summer, is understood to be a long-time admirer of Osimhen’s athleticism, intelligent movement, and clinical finishing.
As Real Madrid look to bolster their attacking options for the upcoming season, Osimhen now stands high on their shortlist, alongside other top forwards across Europe.
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.
