Turkish giant Galatasaray have expressed their gratitude to Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen for the big sacrifice he made in order to permanently join the Super Lig side.
Galatasaray officially unveiled Osimhen at RAMS Park on Saturday, in front of thousands of fans, ahead of their preseason friendly against Serie A club Lazio.
The unveiling became one of the most anticipated events in Turkish football history, with tens of thousands of fans crowding the Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex to see the magnificent celebration, which included lights, music, and fanfare fit for two world-class players.
The ceremony marked the end of one of Galatasaray’s most ambitious transfer windows in history, with the club purchasing two big players to enhance their European ambitions following their Super Lig victory.
Osimhen, 26, signed a permanent contract with Galatasaray from Napoli after a phenomenal loan spell in which he scored 37 goals and assisted eight times in 41 games, helping the team win both the Super Lig and the Turkish Cup.
The €75 million transfer is the most expensive in Turkish football history.
The arrangement involves a €40 million upfront payment, an additional €5 million in bonuses, and the remaining paid over two years, with Napoli earning 10% of any future sales.
The Nigerian forward agreed to a four-year deal worth €15 million per year, excluding endorsement and image rights earnings.
Club management estimated that the unveiling ceremony would earn €6-7 million in goods, sponsorships, and ticket sales, demonstrating the commercial potential of the signings.
The announcement came a day after Galatasaray vice president Abdullah Kavukcu disclosed the remarkable financial sacrifice Osimhen made to achieve his permanent move to the Turkish club.
“The amount Victor gave up to come here is truly enormous. He gave up a sum no other player would ever give up, and we are happy to have him,” Kavukcu told Turkish media during Friday’s press conference.
The Galatasaray leadership expressed great delight in acquiring Osimhen’s services while maintaining the club’s financial stability, underlining that the acquisition is a huge coup for Turkish football.
Osimhen decided to commit permanently to Galatasaray despite strong interest from Juventus and Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal.
In June, the striker rejected a startling €40 million-a-year contract offer from Al-Hilal, instead opting for Galatasaray’s substantially lesser €15 million each season.
In his first official interview with the club, Osimhen highlighted his strong emotions about his permanent move, stating that Galatasaray provides him with the ideal environment to fully express himself.
“This is where I can express myself fully through my football and with everything that I am,” Osimhen said in an interview with Galatasaray’s official YouTube channel.
“I’m truly grateful to everyone who worked to bring me here. I came because I love this place, and I feel good here.”
The Nigeria international was met with a rowdy reception in Istanbul earlier this week, with thousands of Galatasaray fans storming Atatürk Airport and lining the streets to celebrate his arrival.
