Napoli loan out Victor Osimhen

Victor Osimhen has a new home, for now

Just last week, Napoli’s prominent star striker Victor Osimhen was unable to secure a new club before the transfer window closed on Friday. Negotiations with Premier League giant Chelsea and Saudi Arabian team Al Ahli ultimately fell through, leaving him without a new destination.

The thought was that was that Osimhen was likely going to have to spend the first half of the season away from the Napoli first-team and then he would possibly be sent elsewhere during the January transfer window. But things drastically changed on Monday.

Football insider Fabrizio Romano reported on Monday that Osimhen is heading out on loan to Turkish side Galatasaray for the 2024-25 season. There is no obligation for them to buy the star striker.

Even though Galatasaray don’t play in one of the top European leagues, they’re still a strong club that has an opportunity to go far in the UEFA Europa League after getting knocked out during the Champions League qualification rounds. And of course they have a very good chance at holding of Besiktas and Fenerbahce and winning the Turkish Super Lig for a third straight season. Osimhen will certainly help them work towards their goals for this season.

With Osimhen now heading to Turkey, this will limit any possible distractions for Napoli and first-year manager Antonio Conte.

Osimhen’s Napoli career began in September 2020 when he joined the club for a then-record fee of around €70 million, making him the most expensive African player at the time. Despite initial injury setbacks, Osimhen quickly became a crucial part of Napoli’s attack. In the 2021-2022 season, he scored 14 goals in Serie A, showing his potential as a top striker. His breakthrough came in the 2022-2023 season, where he netted 26 league goals, leading Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years. Osimhen’s performances earned him widespread acclaim, solidifying his status as one of the best forwards in Europe.