Italian giants Napoli have turned down a €65m bid from Turkish club Galatasaray for Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, according to reports from Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport.
Galatasaray had attempted to make Osimhen’s loan move permanent, but their offer fell short of the striker’s €75m release clause. Osimhen joined Galatasaray on loan until the end of the season without an option to buy.
However, the Turkish club has a unique advantage in negotiations due to a compensation clause in the agreement. Should Osimhen move to another club in January, Galatasaray would be entitled to €6m compensation, effectively raising his release clause to €81m for other clubs during the winter transfer window.
This special arrangement means that only Galatasaray can acquire the striker for €75m this month, while other clubs can trigger the same release clause from summer. Osimhen’s release clause was initially set at €130m but was reduced last summer when he signed a new deal with Napoli before joining Galatasaray.
Osimhen has been in impressive form for Galatasaray, scoring 16 goals and providing five assists in 20 appearances since his loan move. His performances have caught the attention of several top clubs, but Napoli remains committed to keeping him.
In December, Osimhen publicly committed to seeing out his loan spell at Galatasaray, stating that he would not leave in January. “I will not leave in January, I am at Galatasaray until the end of the season,” he said.
Osimhen’s stock has risen considerably following a stellar 2022/23 season with Napoli, where he scored 26 goals to win the Serie A Golden Boot and help the Partenopei claim their first league title in over three decades.
The rejection of Galatasaray’s bid has sparked speculation about Osimhen’s future, with several top clubs likely to make a move for him in the summer. However, Napoli remains determined to keep their star striker, and it remains to be seen whether Galatasaray will return with an improved offer.
