Former Man United striker reveals why Victor Osimhen rejected Chelsea move

Former Manchester United forward Odion Ighalo has explained why Victor Osimhen turned down a move to Chelsea and how that decision eventually led him to Galatasaray, Afrik-Foot reports.

At the peak of his powers at Napoli, where he won the Serie A top goalscorer and guided the club to a first Scudetto title in 33 years, Osimhen was the toast of the biggest European clubs.

With Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United all linked with the Nigerian forward, the Premier League appeared to be a guaranteed destination.

However, when a proposed deadline day transfer to Chelsea failed, Victor Osimhen took the next flight to Istanbul to join Galatasaray. It was a move that drew criticism from fans and pundits in Nigeria and abroad.

In a recent interview on Brila, Ighalo insisted Osimhen is among the best strikers in the world and said the criticism he receives is unfair, especially from his own continent.

“Those people that are saying Osimhen is not a world class, it’s their opinion. Forget that he is my brother,” Ighalo said. “Osimhen is one of the best players in the world.

“How do they judge world-class? I played in the Serie A I know how difficult it is. He finished as top scorer of the league. At Galatasaray, he is scoring goals in the league and UCL.

“Africans, we bring our own down. If an English player is doing what Osimhen is doing, they will sing his praise to the high heavens.”

Ighalo revealed the key reason behind Osimhen’s failed move to Chelsea in the summer of 2024, pointing clearly to wages.

“They want him to go to Chelsea, where he will lower his wages by far. They wanted to have his image right and pay him peanuts,” Ighalo added.

“Some players are not doing half of what he is doing, and they are earning a lot. Me as a striker, I can’t play the way Osimhen is doing.

“He plays with his life. I can’t play like that; he chases defenders and bullies them. You can’t get Osimhen on your team, and he won’t work.”

Chelsea had reached an agreement with Napoli, but personal terms proved to be the stumbling block. The London club proposed a deal worth around €4 million per year, with bonuses that could double that figure. However, this was still far below the roughly €10 million Victor Osimhen was earning in Italy.

There were also disagreements over the structure of the move. Chelsea preferred an initial loan deal, while Osimhen’s camp wanted either a permanent transfer or improved financial terms.

Talks dragged on until deadline day, but a delegation sent to Naples could not close the gap. At the same time, a potential switch to Saudi side Al-Ahli also collapsed late in the window, leaving the striker in a difficult position.

Ighalo believes such offers did not reflect Osimhen’s true value.

“He is playing with a knee injury. How many people know that? And he will keep running, chasing defenders. If you spend the money to buy Osimhen, he will give you everything. Maybe because he is a Nigerian, he deserves to earn everything he is earning and even more.”

Victor Osimhen: From Napoli exile to Galatasaray success

With the transfer window closed and his relationship with Napoli broken, Victor Osimhen was left out of their squad and needed a quick solution.

That came in September 2024, when Galatasaray offered him a way out with a season-long loan. The Turkish club agreed to cover his full salary, believed to be between €9 million and €10 million, giving the striker both stability and respect in financial terms. It proved to be a perfect match.

Osimhen delivered a remarkable season, scoring 37 goals in 41 appearances across all competitions. His performances quickly made him a fan favourite and one of the most feared forwards in Europe once again.

That form convinced Galatasaray to make the deal permanent in the summer of 2025. The club paid €75 million, a Turkish record fee, to secure his signing on a four-year contract reportedly worth €15 million per season.

The agreement also included a 10% sell-on clause for Napoli and a special condition preventing a return to Italy in the short term.