Victor Osimhen and Napoli open negotiations for a loan deal to Galatasaray
Napoli's Victor Osimhen, left, attempts to block Inter's Francesco Acerbi as Acerbi kicks the ball during a Serie A soccer match between Napoli and Inter at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona stadium, Naples, Italy, Sunday Dec. 3, 2023. Credit: AP/Alessandro Garofalo
ISTANBUL — Victor Osimhen appears to have finally found a way out of Napoli, opening negotiations for a loan deal with Turkish club Galatasaray.
The Nigeria forward had been linked to Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Saudi club Al-Ahli in recent weeks and months but the transfer window in Europe's biggest leagues closed last week without a deal for him.
The Turkish league transfer window doesn't close until Sept. 13 and Galatasary suddenly needs help at center forward following an injury to Mauro Icardi.
“The player and his club SSCN Napoli SPA have begun official talks regarding the temporary transfer of professional footballer Victor James Osimhen.,” Galatasaray posted on Instagram late Monday.
Osimhen scored 26 goals when Napoli won Serie A in 2023, but he has also consistently been slowed by injuries throughout his career.
Osimhen hasn't been training with Napoli, which had already replaced him by signing Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea — reuniting the Belgium striker with coach Antonio Conte after the pair won Serie A at Inter Milan.
At 25, Osimhen still has a lot of years left to play top-level soccer. Known for his aerial prowess and face mask, he has scored a total of 76 goals in 133 matches across all competitions for Napoli since joining in a club-record 70 million euro transfer ($77 million) four years ago.
SS Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, right, arrives with team President Aurelio De Laurentiis, at the Foreign Press club to receive the "Best Foreign Athlete of the Year" award, in Rome, Monday, March 6, 2023. Credit: AP/Gregorio Borgia
Osimhen grew frustrated last season when Napoli finished 10th during its title defense — a campaign in which he scored 15 Serie A goals.
At Galatasaray, Osimhen would be reunited with Napoli's all-time leading scorer Dries Mertens.
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