Strange: Ex-footballer Warns Galatasaray Against Paying €80m for Osimhen
Former Fenerbahce midfielder Sergen Yalcin has warned Galatasaray not to spend €80 million on Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen.
Osimhen had an outstanding season on loan at Galatasaray, scoring 36 goals and providing eight assists in 40 games. His efforts helped the Turkish giants win both the Super Lig and Turkish Cup. He also finished as the league’s top scorer.
Impressed by his performances, Galatasaray are keen to sign the Nigerian forward permanently and keep him from returning to Napoli or joining another club. Fans have showered Osimhen with gifts, while the club is reportedly ready to meet his salary demands.
However, Galatasaray would have to pay at least €70 million to sign him — a fee nearly four times the current Turkish transfer record of €19.5 million, which Fenerbahce paid for Youssef En-Nesyri last summer.
Despite Osimhen’s quality, Yalcin believes spending that much money would be a huge mistake for a Turkish club.
“Osimhen is a very good player, but €80 million is not realistic in this league,” Yalcin told Ege de SonSoz. “Yes, he should be signed, but not for that price. These numbers are just a dream in this league.”
“Do you really believe Galatasaray will win the Champions League with Osimhen? You can’t build a team just through transfers. You need proper planning, squad depth, and a system – it’s a full package.”
Even when Osimhen helped Napoli win the Serie A title, he didn’t receive as much affection from the club as he has from Galatasaray fans. In his final game, the Turkish club even allowed his daughter to announce his name after a goal.
However, Osimhen has long been interested in playing in the English Premier League. He has been linked with clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Newcastle United.
Now that his market value has dropped to €70 million, some of these clubs might be ready to make a move. If any of them submit an offer, it may be difficult for Galatasaray or even Napoli to keep him.
