Julius OkorieDo you remember the Biblical story of the stone that was rejected by the builders becoming the head stone of the corner?
That is the best way to describe the heroic reception accorded Super Eagles and Napoli forward, Victor Osimhen, as he touched down in Turkey to begin the process of beginning a long loan deal with the Süper Lig Champions Galatasaray.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelOsimhen, who touched down at Istanbul Airport at about 3am Tuesday morning, stepped out of the Private jet to behold a mammoth crowd of enthusiastic fans, who practically took over the entire airport to welcome Osimhen who has been frozen out of this season by Napoli to the Turkish Capital.
A crowd of supporters eagerly awaited his arrival at the airport, and their warm reception went viral on social media as Victor Osimhen underwent his medical in Turkey.
The crowd was further thrown into frenzy when Osimhen joined Gala’s mode of greeting.
The 25-year-old Nigerian striker is on the verge of signing a one-year loan deal with Galatasaray, with an option for Osimhen to leave for another club if his parent club, Napoli receives an acceptable offer in January.
Napoli have reportedly reduced Victor Osimhen’s release clause to €75 million from €130 million, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The Nigerian forward will be joining Galatasaray until June 2025 with a generous salary package worth between €9 to €10 million per season.
Note that there is no buy option or obligation included in the loan deal, which means that the Italian Serie A former champions still have the final say on Osimhen’s next move. With the kind of reception Osimhen received in Turkey, there are possibilities that Gala may join the list of suitors approaching Napoli for business after the loan deal.
Interestingly, Osimhen will not be an entirely new comer as the move to Galatasaray means that he will reunite with his former Napoli teammate, Dries Mertens.
The Belgian star has found a home in Istanbul and he contributed nine goals and a whopping nineteen assists as they won the Super Lig title last season.
READ ALSO :Breath Of Fresh Air, Osimhen Heads To Galatasaray On Loan
Osimhen becomes the latest Super Eagles star to play for Galatasaray after his former teammates Henry Onyekuru and Oghenekaro Etebo with the former winning the league title with Galatasaray.
Galatasaray head coach, Okan Buruk, also won the Turkish Super Lig with Istanbul Basaksehir, which had Osimhen’s former Nigeria U23 teammate, Okechukwu Azubuike.
Galatasaray have started the Turkish Super Lig with a 100% record, winning all their three games so far and with Osimhen, will be hoping they complete a league and Europa League double this term.
All things being equal, Osimhen could make his Super Lig debut for Galatasaray when they host Ibrahim Olawoyin’s Çaykur Rizespor on Sunday, September 15, 2024.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
