A year ago, Victor Osimhen was plastered across the news during the summer transfer window.
The Nigeria international was the hottest player on the market. Napoli wanted upwards of €120 million for the hitman, who was coming off a campaign in which he netted 17 goals. And there were clubs ready to pay it.
Chelsea, for example, struck a deal with the Italian club but could not get the move over the line as negotiations over his wages. On the other hand, PSG agreed on personal terms with the striker but were unwilling to match Napoli’s asking price.
After a remarkable window in which Osimhen also appeared close to Arsenal and Manchester United, he quietly moved to Galatasaray on loan.
Now, amid joyous scenes in Istanbul, he has completed a permanent switch to the Super Lig giants in a deal that has largely gone unheralded in Western Europe.
And yet, such a move does not deserve to be ignored. Quite simply, it is one of the most remarkable transfers ever conceived.
Why Osimhen to Galatasaray matters
It’s hard to convey the scale of this transfer. A €75m move does not seem out of the ordinary when Liverpool have already made two such deals this summer and could make a third via Alexander Isak.
In the context of Galatasaray, though, such a move is stunning. Their previous record transfer fee was the €18m they spent signing Gabriel Sara. Osimhen will cost four times this.
On top of this, the wages of the 26-year-old are astonishing. In an official statement, the Turkish side confirmed the player will earn €15m per year over the course of a four-year contract. On top of this, he will receive a €1m loyalty bonus and image rights worth €5m.
Let’s put this into context using Barcelona. The Catalans have put Lamine Yamal at the top of their new, streamlined pay structure at €8m per season. Osimhen is earning nearly twice as much.
Galatasaray’s most expensive transfers ever 🤑 pic.twitter.com/LiDgMiaEsh
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) August 1, 2025
Timing is everything
The traditional giants from Europe and the Premier League would, no doubt, have loved Osimhen in their ranks, but these lavish costs have pushed them out of the market.
The striker’s insistence on a wage upwards of €13m meant the likes of cash-strapped Barcelona were pushed out of the running while PSG found they had no need for a centre-forward as they charged to Champions League glory with the unlikely figure of Ousmane Dembele as their spearhead.
Meanwhile, Premier League clubs have been forced into a pragmatic approach to their transfer policy due to the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) that are now in place. Man Utd have struggled to invest, Manchester City already have Erling Haaland while Osimhen’s wage demands simply don’t fit into the structure at the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea or even big-spending Liverpool.
Five years ago, he would no doubt have wound up at one of these clubs, but the age of free spending in the Premier League has gone.
A club redefined
Galatasaray, meanwhile, have bet the bank on Osimhen to help them gain a foothold in the Champions League.
The lengths the Istanbul outfit have gone to in order to make this deal happen are remarkable, and proof of just how popular a figure the striker is locally.
A deal has been part funded by the club’s sale of their training ground while locally sponsors were raised to fund a record-shattering deal.
Napoli, too, were forced to relent on their price compared to last year but did install a clause in the deal that effectively prohibits Galatasaray selling the striker back to a Serie A rival until 2027.
Osimhen’s move to Galatasaray has not only been one of the great transfer sagas but one of the most remarkable moves of this generation. And if you don’t believe that, just look at the reception he received when he finally arrived in Istanbul to sign.
🟡🔴 Victor Osimhen’i bekleyen taraftarlar, tezahüratlarla desteklerini sürdürüyor! #beINSPORTS pic.twitter.com/vGs2vCWFsA
— beIN SPORTS Türkiye (@beINSPORTS_TR) July 30, 2025
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