Victor Osimhen may have clarity on his next season's destination, but many pundits want him to leave Galatasaray—not due to poor performance, but because the club could generate substantial funds from his sale. Multiple Turkish football commentators have suggested suitable replacements should the Nigerian striker be sold.
Turkish Pundit Recommends Osimhen's Replacement
A Turkish football commentator has named the price tag for which Galatasaray should consider selling Victor Osimhen and identified a potential replacement. Osimhen completed his second season at the Istanbul club, helping them secure the Turkish Super League title for a fourth consecutive year. Although his numbers dipped due to injuries and participation in AFCON 2025, he still managed 22 goals and eight assists across all competitions. Top European clubs remain keen on securing his services, having missed out on him before he joined Galatasaray on loan in summer 2024 and permanently in 2025.
Osimhen has been linked with several clubs, including Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid at Jose Mourinho's request.
Pundit Suggests Osimhen's Replacement
The Galatasaray board is determined not to sell the striker they signed for €75 million, but media suggestions have urged them to cash in. The club would demand a fee above €100 million from interested parties to secure a profit on the amount paid to Napoli less than a year ago. Turkish pundit Necati Ates has advised Galatasaray to sell Osimhen if they receive a €150 million offer and to sign Arsenal forward Viktor Gyokeres as a replacement. “If there's a €150 million offer, sell Osimhen. Replace him with Gyökeres,” the former Galatasaray assistant told GS Gazete.
Arsenal and Galatasaray recently signed a cooperation agreement, which could facilitate the deal or possibly a swap, but the Lions are unlikely to receive a €150 million offer.
Alternative Replacement Considered
Mauro Icardi is expected to leave Galatasaray this summer, and one name mentioned as a potential replacement is Vedat Muriqi. The Kosovo striker, who previously spent six years in Turkey playing for multiple clubs including Fenerbahce, scored 22 La Liga goals for Mallorca last season. However, Metin Takin told GS Sports that signing Muriqi would be a mistake, as his profile does not fit Galatasaray's needs. “I think Vedat Muriç would be a wrong transfer for Galatasaray. Osimhen has a three times better physique than him. Vedat is a classic centre, especially. You need to pass the ball to him. But Osimhen comes, receives it, and passes it. Vedat lacks that team play,” he said.
He added that the club needs a striker like Dries Mertens who can lead the line and also function behind the main striker. “I think they need a quicker and faster player. Especially at Galatasaray, they need a Mertens-type player behind Osimhen,” he concluded.
Galatasaray President Warns Interested Clubs
Legit.ng previously reported that Dursun Ozbek warned clubs interested in signing Victor Osimhen that the striker is not for sale this summer. The Galatasaray President openly rejected all advances as top European clubs prepare to attempt to sign the Super Eagles forward away from Turkey.
