Victor Osimhen is expected to arrive in Istanbul this week, ahead of his official unveiling as a Galatasaray player, following the final paperwork on his €75 million transfer from Napoli.
Excitement is already building among fans of the Turkish champions. Club vice president Abdullah Kavukcu is scheduled to travel to Italy to finalise the move and is likely to return with the Super Eagles striker.
Galatasaray officials are planning a signing ceremony at their home match against Lazio on Saturday, August 2, where Osimhen will be presented to supporters.
Sources in Turkey say the club will pay €40 million upfront, with the remaining €35 million to be settled by the end of 2026. Osimhen is expected to earn €16 million annually at the club.
Although the move ends his time in Italy, a misleading claim in the Turkish press stated that Osimhen featured for Galatasaray last season and scored 37 goals. In reality, he played for Napoli throughout the 2024/25 campaign and remained one of Serie A’s top scorers.
In a recent video interview shared on a Nigerian YouTube channel, Osimhen opened up about his background, recalling life growing up in Lagos with his parents and six siblings all cramped in a one-room apartment.
“Seven children, my mum and my dad all lived in a single room,” he said. “Most people who know me know I would have succeeded even without football. But the conditions where I grew up were far from encouraging.”
He spoke about his early struggles and how many of his peers abandoned football when local pitches were closed.
“There were a few friends in my neighbourhood who played football like me. This small community was full of talent. But when the field shut down, many dreams died. I couldn’t let my dream die. I had to go to different places to train and play.”
Osimhen also revealed that he briefly stepped away from football to survive. “For a few years, I had to quit football and take jobs like carrying water. But I always knew my true calling was football,” he said.
Reflecting on what his environment taught him, he added, “Nothing here is handed to you on a silver platter. Whatever you want, you have to fight for it.”
Despite global fame, Osimhen has also expressed discomfort with the spotlight. In an interview shared on X by Instablog, he said fame has made everyday experiences difficult, including missing his daughter’s first outing due to crowd attention.
“Fame is boring. Sometimes you want to go outside, and you cannot do a lot of things,” he said.
He noted that he finds peace in being around regular people. “If I have my security and they are strapped, for me, I’m good. I can be among these people. I don’t care. This is my life. This is how I live.”
Osimhen’s move to Galatasaray marks one of the biggest transfers involving a Nigerian footballer and places him firmly in the spotlight as the new face of Turkish football.
