Turkish football commentator Serdar Ali Celikler has provided a detailed explanation as to why Victor Osimhen will not leave Galatasaray to join any of the clubs reportedly interested in signing him. Osimhen joined Galatasaray permanently at the start of the 2025/26 season after spending the previous campaign on loan from Italian club Napoli.
Osimhen's Record-Breaking Transfer
The Super Eagles forward scored an impressive 37 goals and provided eight assists in all competitions during the 2025/26 season. This remarkable performance prompted Galatasaray to pay a record-breaking €75 million to secure his permanent transfer. Prior to joining the Turkish club, Osimhen had attracted interest from several top European clubs, including Premier League sides Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United.
Why Osimhen Will Stay
Serdar Ali Celikler is confident that Victor Osimhen will remain at Galatasaray for the upcoming season despite interest from multiple elite European clubs. The football pundit believes that none of the interested clubs possess the financial capacity or are willing to commit the necessary funds to sign him from Galatasaray.
"No one in Europe would pay 150 million Euros in transfer fees and 21 million Euros in net salary for Osimhen," Celikler stated on Neo Spor, as quoted by Haber Sari Kirmizi. He argues that Galatasaray's transfer fee demands are unrealistic and suggests that a fee in the region of €100 million should be sufficient for the Turkish champions.
The Salary Hurdle
Celikler added, "If they offer between 75-100 million Euros in transfer fees, and Osimhen agrees to reduce his salary to 10 million Euros, then they could acquire him." The salary remains the biggest obstacle to any potential move. Osimhen's current net salary of €21 million would translate to approximately €39 million gross due to tax rates in Italy, England, Spain, and other top European countries.
None of the interested clubs would be willing to pay him €750,000 per week, which would make him the highest-paid player in the top-five leagues. Furthermore, Osimhen has made it clear that he is unwilling to reduce his salary.
Contract Situation
The 2023 African Footballer of the Year signed a four-year contract when he joined Galatasaray permanently in July 2025. Celikler believes Osimhen will see out his contract with the Turkish club. "Osimhen would stay until his contract expires," he concluded.
Before his permanent move to Galatasaray, Osimhen had interest from Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal, who offered as much as €45 million in salary. Many fans speculate that he will spend his 30s in Saudi Arabia after running down his Galatasaray contract to move to the Professional League.
Osimhen's Enjoyment at Galatasaray
Legit.ng previously reported that Victor Osimhen spoke highly of his time at Galatasaray, describing it as the club where he has enjoyed the most in his career. He has won two league titles since moving to Turkey and, despite transfer rumors, is already looking forward to winning again next season.
