- Osimhen has landed in Istanbul ahead of a one-year loan move to Galatasaray
- The 25-year-old striker was a target for Chelsea but a deal could not be agreed
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Victor Osimhen was mobbed by fans as he landed in Turkey ahead of completing a potential loan move to Galatasaray.
The Napoli striker touched down in Istanbul during the early hours of Tuesday morning and is reportedly set to undergo medical tests.
Galatasaray confirmed that they were in talks with the Italian giants for the acquisition of Osimhen on Monday night.
The wantaway striker was heavily linked with a move to Chelsea throughout the summer transfer window, with a move to the Premier League his ‘dream’, but the Blues could not get the deal done.
Following the collapse of the Chelsea deal an agreement was struck for Osimhen to make the move to Turkey on a one-year loan, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Victor Osimhen has landed in Turkey ahead of completing a one-year loan move to Galatasaray
Osimhen, 25, led a chant with the swarm of supporters who greeted the striker at the airport
Masses of security had to protect the Napoli exile due the sheer number of fans that gathered
When the 25-year-old arrived in Istanbul, he was greeted by a swarm of Galatasaray supporters at around 4am, who seemed delighted with the potential signing.
Osimhen then proceeded to lead a chant with a beaming smile on his face as he forms a bond with the die-hard fans.
Napoli had put a £113m release clause in Osimhen’s contract, however, with no club showing signs of meeting such a high price tag, Italian journalist Romano has reported that it has been lowered to around £63m.
It is believed that Napoli will cover Osimhen’s salary if the move is completed and there is no option or obligation to buy in the contract.
Osimhen had also come close to a move to Al-Ahli after the Saudi Arabian club agreed a deal to sign the Nigerian forward, but he decided to reject the move.
Following the conclusion of the window, it was reported that Napoli had banished Osimhen from their first-team squad, due to his relationship with the club being ‘broken’.
With Napoli making it clear that they have no intention of giving Osimhen minutes, it has now been decided that he will spend his future elsewhere.
Romelu Lukaku scored his first goal for Napoli against Parma after a £38m move from Chelsea
Osimhen, who is 25-years-old, has netted 76 goals for the Italian side in four years at the club
The striker, who scored 17 goals for the Italian outfit last season, has been replaced as the club’s main man by £38million summer signing Romelu Lukaku.
The Belgian striker scored on his Napoli debut just days after completing his move, helping Antonio Conte’s side to victory over Parma.
Lukaku came off the bench to start a dramatic comeback, equalising in stoppage-time with a low strike inside the box. Just minutes later Andre Zambo Anguissa netted the winner.
Osimhen signed for Napoli in 2020 and he has scored 76 goals in 133 games in all competitions for the Italian giants.
He drove Napoli to their first title in 33 years in 2022-23, scoring 26 league goals in his most impressive campaign in blue.
However, his 15 league goals last term could not fire the Italian side to more glory as they finished in a disastrous 10th place, missing out on Europe altogether.
