He is one of the best strikers in the world, a man who led Napoli to a miracle third Serie A title, so no one imagined the transfer saga of all transfer sagas would end with Victor Osimhen set to join Galatasaray on a season-long loan.
How did a player destined to play for the elite find himself in Turkey?
Osimhen’s critics will tell you that an injury-prone player who had one extraordinary season cannot be priced as high as 130m euros (£110m), but is that argument underestimating just how much he has developed and, indeed, accomplished?
There are so many beautiful goals one could describe in delicious detail, a catalogue of skills and assists that the Nigerian has produced to leave fans salivating, yet one will always stand out – the goal even “Pele would have been proud of,” according to Brazil and Napoli legend and former Scudetto winner, Antonio Careca.
Named goal of the month, it was week 20 in the Serie A calendar when Napoli hosted Jose Mourinho’s Roma in January 2023 and Osimhen opened the scoring with ludicrous brilliance.
Controlling a cross with his chest, he allowed the ball to fall neatly onto his thigh before firing a perfect volley into the roof of the net. In the words of Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen, it was “simply lovely.”
The stunned spectators’ wide-open jaws served to highlight not only the skill and technique of the player but their continuous disbelief as to how one player can change a club’s fortunes so radically.
Osimhen made the coach, the club, and the fans believe in the miracle of winning their first title in 33 years.
It was Osimhen in pre-season who was repeatedly telling his teammates that they must aim for the Scudetto.
Luciano Spalletti, the then-manager, said that if he can convince the others to believe as much as Osimhen did, then they can try.
Osimhen provided the goals – 31 plus five assists in 39 matches – but it was his mentality and ability to motivate a team that for too many years had been held hostage by their inferiority complex, that won the hearts of an entire city.
In that Roma game, Osimhen was replaced by Giovanni Simeone, who scored the winner in the 86th minute. No one cheered louder than Osimhen. A happy team, a united dressing room. Dedication to his craft stood Osimhen in good stead.
Staying behind after hours to train with Spalletti, he improved his first touch, his technique, and his confidence on the ball to become the most important player in the squad.
We cannot forget the brilliance of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, or midfield maestro Stanislav Lobotka, but when Napoli were thumped 4-0 by AC Milan in the Champions League, it was the absence of Osimhen that left them rueful.
His history of injuries is one of the reasons a release clause of 130 million euros is deemed too high.
As Gazzetta dello Sport once put it, “Osimhen attacks every shot as if it were the Olympic 100m.” Devoting maximum energy to every move, every shot, and every run makes Osimhen a fan favourite for his effort, but it can be detrimental to the body. He has never been one to hold back.
Why did Osimhen fail to get permanent move?
However, it is difficult not to argue with critics who have labelled Osimhen a one-season wonder. It is true that Napoli produced the worst title defence in history and, for that, owner Aurelio de Laurentiis apologised.
Sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli and Spalletti left, and the coach’s replacement, Rudi Garcia, confessed to not having watched Napoli play the season prior.
Gone were the intricate and fluent patterns of play, replaced by confused tactics and long balls in search of Osimhen in the hope that his individual quality would shine.
Three coaches came and went last season. Osimhen was tasked with continuing to score, which he did – 17 goals and four assists in 32 appearances despite travelling to the Africa Cup of Nations, contending with a carousel of different coaching philosophies, and the club being accused of racially abusing him on social media when it took aim at his penalty-taking skills.
Only Ronaldo and Cristiano Ronaldo have produced a better minute-to-goal ratio in Serie A than Osimhen, according to Opta.
De Laurentiis confirmed in January that the player was set to leave the club. The contract extension announced just before Christmas, which included a big salary bump and the much-maligned buyout clause, would allow Napoli to make a profit on the player they helped to develop into a star.
After all, they had turned down a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia last summer and were convinced that the many clubs searching for that perfect number nine would pay.
However, today’s clubs must choose a more sustainable path to success. Some may well agree with the notion that Napoli decided to be greedy. But if the inconsistent Rafael Leao had a 175m euro (£147m) release clause, and Rasmus Hojlund earned a £72m move to Manchester United (including potential bonuses) after 10 goals for Atalanta and one good season, how does one adequately value a player?
How much is Osimhen worth? More than Hojlund? Less than the £107m Enzo Fernandez? It is a mystery but, for the Neapolitans and calcio lovers, who watched the African player of the year and the Italian Footballers’ Association player of the year, Osimhen is priceless.
Asked about Osimhen after transfer deadline day, Napoli director Giovanni Manna told DAZN: “Victor expressed his absolute desire to not stay at Napoli, to not play for Napoli, and we tried to make him happy.”
Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia were not willing to meet Napoli’s valuation, while Chelsea were not able to match his salary requirements. But Galatasaray came to the rescue after deadline day.
It has been regarded as a fall from grace for Osimhen – Italian newspapers called it “sad” – but the move to Galatasaray means he will don the red and yellow strip once worn by his idol Didier Drogba, allowing him to accomplish a minor dream.
More importantly, and according to reports in Italy and Turkey, Osimhen ensured his contract includes a clause that will allow him to leave Istanbul if one of the top 10 clubs he has listed come calling in January.
He must sign another contract extension, this time to 2027, so Napoli can still exercise a certain level of control when he is sold permanently, but at least his release clause has been brought down to a more reasonable 75m euros (£63m).
(Guardian)
