Victor Osimhen in silent war with Galatasaray? 5 signs of growing tension in Istanbul

Victor Osimhen’s relationship with Galatasaray is beginning to attract fresh attention after a series of decisions raised questions about his long-term future in Turkey, Afrik-Foot reports.

The Nigeria international recently turned down the chance to wear the famous No. 9 shirt and also declined the club’s offer to become permanent captain ahead of the 2026-27 season. Officially, Osimhen explained that he wanted to keep wearing his lucky No. 45 shirt and preferred experienced teammates to lead the squad.

His comments sounded respectful, but events over the past few weeks have led many observers to believe there could be deeper issues behind the scenes.

Reports of unpaid wages, transfer interest from England and concerns over Galatasaray’s transfer plans have all added to speculation that the striker may not be fully committed to staying in Istanbul despite signing a long-term contract.

Osimhen: Warning signs behind the growing tension

Salary dispute refuses to disappear

A big concern is the unfading reports that Osimhen has not received three months of salary, despite Galatasaray chiefs insisting that the club has the finances to meet its obligations. Claims of an unresolved tax issue involving the player’s representatives have also surfaced.

Neither side has publicly confirmed every detail, but the reports have continued to dominate discussion around the club and have created fresh doubts about the relationship between player and management.

Osimhen rejected the captain’s armband

Galatasaray saw Osimhen as the natural successor to Mauro Icardi after the Argentine left the club but the Nigerian forward does not appear excited about that prospect. It is believed that Galatasaray wanted Osimhen to be the club’s permanent captain.

After that was waived away, head coach Okan Buruk publicly confirmed that the Super Eagles striker would be one of the team’s captains. Still, Tottenham-linked Osimhen clearly has not welcomed that decision.

During a pre-season friendly against Rennes, which finished 3-3, Osimhen opened the scoring. Later in the game, when the captain’s armband was offered to him after a substitution, he passed it directly to Yunus Akgun instead of wearing it himself.

His camp later explained that he wanted senior players who had spent longer at the club to lead the team. Still, many view the decision as a sign that he does not want to be tied too closely to Galatasaray’s long-term project.

The famous No. 9 shirt was also turned down

Galatasaray had reserved the iconic No. 9 jersey for Osimhen following Icardi’s departure. The club reportedly hoped to build a major marketing campaign around its star striker wearing the famous number. Osimhen chose otherwise.

“I believe you will sell more shirts, but I think you will understand my perspective. Number 45 has been lucky for me,” he said.

His decision allowed him to keep the number that has become part of his personal identity while also denying the club an important commercial opportunity.

Premier League interest remains strong

In the midst of all these, transfer speculation has refused to go away. Tottenham Hotspur are believed to have made offers worth between £50 million and £60 million, while other leading European clubs have continued discussions with Osimhen’s representatives.

Galatasaray have insisted that the striker is not available for a cut-price fee after signing him permanently from Napoli and tying him to a contract until 2029. Despite that public stance, reports of meetings involving his camp elsewhere in Europe have continued to fuel suggestions that an exit is still possible before the transfer window closes.

Transfer promises may not have been fulfilled

Another issue that has attracted attention is Galatasaray’s summer recruitment. Several world-class names, including Rafael Leão, Bruno Fernandes and Jamal Musiala, were linked with moves to the Turkish champions, but none has arrived.

At the same time, rival clubs have strengthened their squads. Fenerbahçe completed the signing of Mason Greenwood, while Trabzonspor announced the arrival of Mohamed Salah.

If Osimhen expected Galatasaray to build an even stronger squad around him, the club’s transfer business may have fallen short of those expectations.

None of these developments alone proves that Osimhen wants to leave. Taken together, however, they paint the picture of a player carefully avoiding deeper ties with the club while keeping his future options open. As the transfer window moves towards its closing stages, every decision made by both Osimhen and Galatasaray is likely to come under even greater scrutiny.