Galatasaray legend Ümit Karan has heaped praise on Victor Osimhen for his commanding performance in the club’s 1-0 victory over Bodrumspor on Saturday, highlighting the Super Eagles forward’s leadership and influence on the pitch.
Osimhen took on the responsibility of leading the line for Galatasaray during their Super Lig clash against Bodrumspor at the Bodrum İlçe Stadi, stepping up in the absence of the injured Mauro Icardi.
Although the towering forward did not manage to score, his impressive performance earned high praise from Karan, a former Galatasaray forward who represented the Turkish champions from 2001 to 2009, netting 72 goals in 170 appearances.
The 25-year-old joined the Turkish giants on loan after failing to secure a permanent move away from Napoli on deadline day. He has since emerged as a revelation in the Turkish top flight since his arrival in September.
Karan praises Osimhen's impact and leadership on the pitch
Speaking on SkySpor Youtube channel as shared by Haber Sairikirmizi, Karan lavished praise on Osimhen following his commanding performance in the club’s win over Bodrumspor.
Reflecting on the match, Karan shared:
“Osimhen showed his character again. He directed Batshuayi immediately after the goal. He has adopted the team so much. Osimhen did not want to play as a centre forward in this match. He wanted to say, ‘If Icardi is not here, I am the leader of this team'. Otherwise, no centre forward would normally give those balls.
“I want to congratulate Osimhen wholeheartedly. He is perhaps the best player in the league anyway, but in this match, he showed us the existence of that heart. He gave the message ‘I will manage this team'. He suddenly caught this sense of belonging.”
The on-loan Napoli man has made nine goal contributions for Galatasaray in nine games across all competitions, scoring six goals and providing three assists, while averaging 75 minutes per game.
