Galatasaray reject €120m Atletico bid for Osimhen

Turkish Super Lig giants Galatasaray have rejected a staggering €120m (approximately N189bn) bid for Nigeria international striker Victor Osimhen, dealing a blow to Atletico Madrid’s hopes of landing one of Europe’s most coveted forwards.

According to reports from Forza Cimbom, the Spanish club submitted the offer as they search for a top-tier striker amid uncertainty over the futures of their principal attackers, Alexander Sørloth and Julian Alvarez.

Osimhen, 27, only made his move from Napoli to Galatasaray permanent last summer, but his scintillating form in Istanbul has unsurprisingly attracted the attention of some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are also said to be monitoring the Nigerian’s situation.

It is not difficult to see why, as the former Napoli man has been in devastating form, scoring 22 goals and providing eight assists in 32 appearances, playing a central role in Galatasaray’s fourth consecutive Süper Lig title triumph.

He was equally influential in their UEFA Champions League campaign.

Galatasaray’s decision to turn down such a substantial offer is a significant statement of intent, particularly for a club operating outside Europe’s traditional top five leagues.

The Turkish side had already invested €75m to sign Osimhen permanently last summer and handed him a lucrative contract, signalling their determination to keep their prized asset.

However, with the transfer window open for several more months, it remains to be seen whether that resolve will hold firm if offers grow larger as the summer progresses.(Punch)