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ISTANBUL, TURKEY – SEPTEMBER 21: Victor Osimhen of Galatasaray looks on during the Turkish Super big match between Fenerbahce and Galatasaray at Ulker Stadium on September 21, 2024 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images)
Serie A clubs including Juventus and Roma are on high alert after Nigeria coach Eric Challe confessed Victor Osimhen ‘might be about to change clubs’ after two years with Galatasaray.
The centre-forward already won the Scudetto at Napoli, but the breakdown of his rapport with the club saw him sent out to Galatasaray initially on loan in 2024.
Despite initially commanding a fee twice that sum, he was eventually sold to the Turkish side last summer for €75m.
Now it would seem that he is on the market again, as confirmed in a press conference by Nigeria manager Challe, who left Osimhen and Ademola Lookman out of the squad for a friendly against Poland.
Nigeria confirm Osimhen on the move
“We miss two players because Victor Osimhen maybe he is about to change club, so I prefer he stays at home because if he plays and is not at 100 percent is not good,” said the coach.
“For Lookman he is very tired and Atletico ask us to excuse him.”
Juventus had already made several approaches for Osimhen in recent years, but Napoli were still burned by losing Gonzalo Higuain to their arch rivals and have since refused to sell top stars to the Bianconeri.
Indeed, the release clauses in their contracts are all valid only for clubs outside of Italy, to prevent a repeat of the €90m Higuain swoop of 2016.
They went a step further with the sale to Galatasaray, reportedly inserting another clause blocking his move to Serie A until September 2027 with penalties worth €50m.
Now it remains to be seen if that is still valid, or could be waived for a club other than Juventus.
Osimhen scored 22 goals and provided eight assists in 33 competitive games this season, so if he is looking for a new club, a return to Serie A is not out of the question.
Juve would’ve been more likely had they qualified for the Champions League, but Roma are known to be seeking a centre-forward with similar characteristics.
Their first choice is Mason Greenwood of Olympique Marseille, but Osimhen could be on the radar now.
