Victor Osimhen’s Success at Galatasaray Attributed to His Approach

Upon his arrival in Istanbul, Victor Osimhen received a hero’s welcome from Galatasaray supporters. Ismael Garcia Gomez, Galatasaray’s assistant manager, acknowledged that the club was surprised by the chance to acquire one of the globe’s most sought-after strikers. In late August, Victor Osimhen was reportedly connected with prominent clubs in the Premier League and La Liga, as well as a lucrative transfer to Saudi Arabia. However, by early September, the 25-year-old Nigerian player was surrounded by fans at Istanbul airport’s arrivals area, following his signing of a one-year loan agreement with the Turkish champions. Garcia Gomez informed BBC Sport, “We all know his summer was a bit shaky, there were so many rumours, just that he was definitely not staying [at] Napoli.” He added, “There were options in Saudi, Chelsea, I don’t know exactly what happened.” He continued, “But in [the] last days of [the] market there was an option for us to try. I remember coming from an away game, the head coach Okan Buruk had the first call with him, when we were about to fly back to Istanbul.” “Then in two days everything was done. For the club, for the fans, it was an amazing signing to start the season,” Garcia Gomez stated. Osimhen gained global football recognition after netting 26 goals in 32 Serie A matches, contributing to Napoli’s championship victory in the 2022-23 season. However, following his tenure at Napoli for the 2023-24 campaign, relations deteriorated. Osimhen had a disagreement with owner Aurelio de Laurentiis, coinciding with a decline in the team’s performance, changes in management, and controversial social media posts from the club concerning the Nigerian player. The strained relationship escalated to the point where Osimhen was not assigned a squad number for the 2024-25 season, as new manager Antonio Conte brought in Romelu Lukaku as a direct substitute. Predictably, Osimhen was associated with nearly all major European clubs; however, a new contract he signed with Napoli in December 2023 complicated and increased the cost of any potential transfer. In the end, a loan transfer proved to be the most straightforward solution for all parties. Yet, by the time this became clear, it was September, and the transfer windows for most major European leagues had concluded, though not in Turkey. Since joining Galatasaray, Osimhen has maintained an average of one goal every 80 minutes in the Super Lig. Garcia Gomez commented, “Galatasaray was an amazing option for him.” He added, “The info we had was that he was super motivated to be part of our family, so it was very simple to make the deal.” Outside of Turkey, there was widespread surprise that Osimhen opted for a Turkish club instead of pursuing the prestige of England or the financial incentives of Saudi Arabia. However, Turkish football journalist Kaan Bayazit indicated that Galatasaray suited Osimhen in multiple respects. Bayazit explained to BBC Sport, “The wages being thrown around in the Premier League now make a big difference.” He further stated, “Nottingam Forest wouldn’t bat an eyelid at his wages.” He continued, “But Galatasaray have been breaking the bank in recent years. Also I don’t think Osimhen wanted to settle, he wanted to stay at the very top.” Bayazit concluded, “You either go for ambition, or you go for the really big bag – and he wanted the top level.” Osimhen has become part of a club recognized as one of Europe’s largest in terms of fanbase and expectations. Galatasaray holds 24 Turkish championships and has secured the last two Super Lig titles. The Galatasaray roster features well-known players such as Mauro Icardi, Hakim Ziyech, and Davinson Sanchez. Garcia Gomez remarked, “He has been smart, humble, coming to our club.” He added, “The main part of squad has been together for two years, winning back-to-back championships.” He elaborated, “But he came in a smart way, trying to be a part of it, not as a typical star. He was not expecting the club will adapt to him, but he has been very humble and hard working.” This approach has benefited Osimhen; following a goalless start in his first two matches, he has scored four goals in his subsequent three league appearances. Osimhen has established a forward partnership with Icardi, as Galatasaray endeavors to integrate two prominent strikers into their lineup. A contributing factor to Osimhen’s success stems from head coach Buruk’s tactical adjustments, which, according to Bayazit, have encountered initial difficulties. Bayazit stated, “They have made some adjustments already – they played 3-5-2 against Besiktas for example, after they played 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 in recent seasons.” He continued, “Icardi was injured when Osimhen came in. The expectation when Osimhen came in was that Icardi would be out for a longer time. But then he came back for the Fenerbahce derby, so now they are working around that.” The unexpected nature of Osimhen’s arrival is evident in the player formations around him. The 3-5-2 system was utilized against Besiktas, despite Galatasaray’s limited number of specialist full-backs. Galatasaray secured a 2-1 victory, with Osimhen scoring the decisive goal, and both goals coming from set-pieces, even though they conceded most of the possession and scoring opportunities. Additional tactical trials involved a 4-4-2 formation against Kasimpasa, a match where Galatasaray held a 3-0 lead at half-time but ultimately drew 3-3. Osimhen netted two goals in the first half before being substituted at halftime due to a muscle strain, observing from the bench as his new team forfeited points for the initial time this season. Nevertheless, with Galatasaray maintaining a three-point lead over second-placed Samsunspor after 10 league matches, the current results suggest that Osimhen’s integration has been effective. Garcia Gomez remarked, “He’s come from a part of Italy in the south which is passionate, which is very close culturally to Turkey.” He added, “It has not been a big change.” He further stated, “He was a key part in the Scudetto, now he is coming to a winning club. It is not easy to win Super Lig back to back. He is a winner, that makes it simple and smooth.” Osimhen has not yet scored for Galatasaray in the Europa League, despite the team accumulating seven points from three matches. The current uncertainty revolves around the duration of Osimhen’s stay at Galatasaray and his continued experience of Turkish affection. He possesses a 130 million euro release clause with Napoli, and there are also reports of an external break clause in his loan agreement with Galatasaray, potentially enabling a January transfer. Osimhen remains connected to several prominent European clubs, among them Tottenham, Galatasaray’s upcoming Europa League adversary on Thursday. This match could present an opportunity for Osimhen to showcase himself for potential early January transfers. Bayazit indicated that the situation also involves financial considerations and squad equilibrium for Galatasaray. When questioned about Galatasaray’s intention to retain the striker past his loan period, he responded, “If I was an accountant I would say, ‘don’t do it’.” He proposed that Napoli “will want 50m euros bare minimum” for a transfer fee. Galatasaray’s highest transfer fee paid was 18 million euros for midfielder Gabriel Sara from Norwich last summer. Bayazit further emphasized the challenge of TV rights in Turkish football. A new agreement was finalized with Bein Media for $182 million per season during the summer. Prior to the 2019-20 season, the Super Lig’s annual deal was $500 million, but fluctuations in the Turkish lira led to an external renegotiation of the contract. Bayazit added, “Galatasaray have Mauro Icardi, so they should spend that money on a different position to centre forward.” He continued, “One reason it was a really surprising move was that they have great strikers but no star wingers.” He concluded, “Fans were very critical before Osimhen happened as there was no star winger. They are now happy, but as a puzzle piece fitting in, it doesn’t make sense.” Predictably, Garcia Gomez remained reserved when questioned about Osimhen’s future. He stated, “Hopefully this relationship remains.” He then added, “But we must be focused on the present.”