Victor Osimhen has communicated his wish to remain with Galatasaray, according to reports from Italy.
The Napoli forward, who spent the last season on loan with the Super Lig side, has rejected a big-money offer from Saudi club Al-Hilal and is set on staying in Turkey – according to what has been reported by the Corriere dello Sport, via CalcioMercato.
Following the end of his loan spell with the Turkish giants last season, the 26-year-old has been heavily linked with a high-profile summer move.
Amid offers from Galatasaray to keep him, he has been linked with Premier League giants Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool but no offers were made.
He scored 37 goals plus eight assists in 41 games across all competitions and reports from Italy claim he is most likely going to return to Turkey, as he is not going to reunite with his parent club, Napoli either.
The outlet reports that “Osi has chosen the Gal”.
“Osimhen wants to stay in Istanbul and has communicated his decision to Galatasaray, who are now looking for an agreement with Aurelio de Laurentiis. But Napoli will not discount the clause: they want €75,” CDS claims.
Osimhen’s contract includes a release clause available to non-Italian clubs set at €75m; Napoli are only prepared to sell the player to the Turkish club if this clause is activated.
With Gala already having floated an offer in the region of €60m and having pledged to meet Osimhen’s salary demands, it seems now to be just a matter of days before a deal is struck.
According to the report, all that remains is for Galatasaray and Napoli to reach an agreement concerning the fee for the player.
However, the reports suggest that in Turkey, companies are prepared to play their part; offering sponsorships to help cover the cost of the release clause.
Therefore, it could only be a matter of time before Galatasaray present their formal offer to Napoli – meaning any other interested parties will have to act fast to avoid missing out.
