Victor Osimhen wants to stay at Galatasaray until the summer at least with the forward ‘loving’ his loan spell with the club.
Galatasaray secured the signing of Osimhen on a shock season-long loan deal in the summer after the forward saw a permanent transfer away from Napoli collapse.
The Nigerian held talks with Chelsea and Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli without reaching an agreement, following a fallout at the Italian side. The later date of the Turkish transfer window allowed Galatasaray to capitalise and bring Osimhen to Istanbul.
Osimhen has thrived in Turkey, where he has scored eight goals in nine games in all competitions, including a Europa League brace against Tottenham. The 25-year-old is understood to be enjoying his time with the Süper Lig champions and has no plans to leave in January, despite a break clause in his loan agreement.
That news could be a blow to Chelsea, who are understood to retain interest in bringing Osimhen to the Premier League. Arsenal have also been mentioned as a potential destination as the Gunners consider the signing of a centre-forward in the January transfer window.
Sky Germany are reporting Osimhen ‘loves the club, the city, and the fans’ at Galatasaray with former Napoli teammate Dries Mertsens an ‘important confidant’.
Galatasaray accept that it will be difficult to keep Osimhen permanently, given Napoli’s demand for a fee of €75m (£63m). However, talks are ongoing behind the scenes as the Turkish aim to ‘get creative’ and make a deal possible.
The current Turkish Süper Lig transfer record is the €20m deal that took Youssef En-Nesyri to Fenerbahce from Sevilla in the summer.
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