Turkish club Galatasaray has announced that negotiations have begun with Napoli regarding the temporary transfer of professional football player Victor James Osimhen, who has currently landed in Istanbul, Turkey, for his medicals.
The following statement was made regarding the matter:
“Official negotiations have begun with the football player and his club SSC Napoli SPA regarding the temporary transfer of professional football player Victor James Osimhen.”
Osimhen has signed a loan deal with Galatasaray until January 2025, with no obligation to buy. The club will cover €9-10 million of his salary, meaning the Nigerian international will leave Turkey when a better club requires his services.
Before flying to Turkey, Osimhen insisted that his release clause be reduced from €130 million to €70 million to enable suitor clubs to sign him without facing negotiating challenges, just like he had with Chelsea some days ago.
Osimhen will team up with some famous stars at the club, such as former Napoli winger Dries Mertens, Wilfried Zaha, who played for Crystal Palace in the English Premier League, Moroccan and former Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech, Mauro Icardi, and another former Chelsea center-forward, Michy Batshuayi, who is currently the club’s top scorer this season with 3 goals.
Galatasaray won the Turkish league with 102 points last season, ahead of rivals Fenerbahçe, and performed excellently in the UEFA Champions League, beating Manchester United in the same season.
Galatasaray is one of the ‘Big Three,’ a colloquial name given to the three most successful clubs, including Beşiktaş, who has won the league championship the most (28), Galatasaray with 24, and Fenerbahçe with 19. None of the trio have been relegated since 1959.
The worst finishes in league history were 10th for Fenerbahçe in 1980–81, 11th for Beşiktaş in 1975–76, and 13th for Galatasaray in 2021–22.
