Victor Osimhen explains why he joined Galatasaray after a failed laboured Napoli exit

• Victor Osimhen recently completed a loan transfer from Italian outfit Napoli to Turkish club Galatasaray
• The marquee forward was widely linked with a transfer to English Premier League side Chelsea throughout the summer
• The Nigerian striker has explained the reason he joined the Istanbul club following his failed move to Chelsea

Victor Osimhen witnessed his name dominate the football transfer space following a lengthy saga regarding an exit from Napoli.

The 25-year-old was largely expected to depart the Italian Serie A club early in the summer; however, a failure by interested teams to reach an agreement over the striker caused every deal to fall through.

Amid the negotiations for Osimhen’s sale, the Nigerian striker had already been ostracised from the first-team setup at Napoli, with Belgian attacker, Romelu Lukaku, signed as his replacement.

Victor Osimhen points to the club's crest during his Galatasaray unveiling. Image: @GalatasaraySK.
Source: Twitter

Osimhen appeared set to stay at the club while remaining on the fringes until a report from Corriere dello Sport detailed Galatasaray's interest in the forward.

A deal with the Istanbul club was swiftly completed, and the Nigerian is expected to spend the remainder of the 2024/25 season at Galatasaray.

Following the unveiling ceremony, the marquee forward has explained why he chose to join Galatasaray.

Osimhen speaks on joining Galatasaray

In an interview captured by Forza Cimbom, the forward detailed that joining Galatasaray was a straightforward decision for him.

"When I learned of Galatasaray's interest, the choice was clear. I knew Galatasaray was a major club and felt like a family."

The 25-year-old also mentioned that the presence of Nigerian teammate Henry Onyekuru subtly influenced his decision.

"Onyekuru is already a friend of mine, and he spoke highly of the club."

According to data courtesy of FotMob, Osimhen made a significant impact in Italian Serie A, amassing over 85 goal involvements during his four years with Napoli. He will now be aiming to achieve similar success with Galatasaray.

The forward is expected to make his debut for the club in their first home fixture after the international break, against Rizespor.

Osimhen to wear No.45 shirt at Galatasaray

Legit.ng earlier reported that Osimhen will don the No.45 shirt at his new club. His favourite No.9 shirt is currently worn by Argentine striker, Mauro Icardi.

Osimhen, who is expected to partner with Icardi in Galatasaray’s attack, played a pivotal role in leading Napoli to their first Serie A title since 1990 during the 2022/23 season.

Source: Legit.ng