February 26, (THEWILL) — Turkish club, Galatasaray, have declared their intention to join European football’s elite within five years, a statement that followed their 5-2 UEFA Champions League victory over Juventus last week.
Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen, has been the cornerstone of that ambition. The forward has scored 15 goals in 23 appearances since his €75 million permanent move from Napoli, and vice-president, Abdullah Kavukcu, told reporters his market value has since doubled. “I think Victor has proven everyone wrong, considering that his value has doubled”, Kavukcu said.
Galatasaray have also pursued Inter Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu across two transfer windows, with the most recent approach rejected during January 2026. Kavukcu confirmed the club will not abandon the chase, describing a deal for the Turkish international midfielder as a matter of when, not if.
Osimhen’s desire to leave Italy was shaped by a painful exit from Napoli, with the Nigerian forward stating the club “treated me like a dog” in his final months there. Kavukcu acknowledged that finalising the transfer required extensive negotiations with Napoli president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, who demanded proof of the Istanbul club’s financial standing before agreeing.
Coach Okan Buruk’s Italian connections have steered Galatasaray towards a Serie A-focused recruitment model, yielding a squad that includes Mauro Icardi, Lucas Torreira and Noa Lang. The Dutch winger, on loan from Napoli, scored twice on his European debut against Juventus, with Galatasaray holding a purchase option at the season’s end.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
