Ismael Garcia Gomez, Galatasaray assistant coach, has given the inside on the Victor Osimhen transfer to the Turkish champions in September.
Nigerian striker turned down offer from Saudi Arabia, and a potential move to Chelsea collapses before he signs for Galatasaray.
The Journey to Istanbul
However, Osimhen’s move to Galatasaray was confused due to uncertain circumstances, as Gomez told Marca via Turkish outlet Fotomac.
“I don’t think Osimhen wanted to go to Saudi Arabia, and Chelsea didn’t sign him,” said Gomez. ‘If he hadn’t gone to Napoli, he wouldn’t have played; he wouldn’t have been training by himself.’
“At the time, maybe it looked like there were no options, but all of a sudden this transfer became a concrete thing.” Our technical director, Okan Buruk, had a video call with Osimhen before the Adana Demirspor match. “From that moment on, things moved very fast.”
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Why Osimhen Chose Galatasaray
Osimhen was won over by the club’s vision of titles and European competition, Gomez said.
‘We were one of the few teams who offered him the chance to play for trophies and in Europe.’ I also really liked the love for football in Istanbul; it’s the same as in Naples.”
The Nigerian has already proved a key figure in Galatasaray, providing eight goals and four assists in just nine games since his arrival.
While helping champion the team’s defence of their Turkish Süper Lig title and keeping European hopes alive, his performances have raised the bar.
