‘He rejected €150m’ – Osimhen chose Galatasaray over rich offers, says club chief pre-Liverpool

Galatasaray Sportif AŞ Vice President Abdullah Kavukcu has said that Victor Osimhen is not playing for the Turkish champions because of money but because of the deep love shown to him by the club’s supporters, Afrik-Foot reports.

Osimhen is widely regarded as one of the most sought-after strikers in world football. For that reason, many observers still find it surprising that the Nigerian forward is spending his peak years playing for Galatasaray.

The Super Eagles star was close to joining Chelsea in the summer of 2024. Reports at the time suggested that his wage demands discouraged the London club from completing the deal. Similar claims have also been made about why he has not ended up at other wealthy European clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United or Arsenal.

At Galatasaray, however, Osimhen is among the highest-paid African footballers in the world. Yet Kavukcu insists that money was not the key factor behind the move.

According to the club executive, the passion and love shown by Galatasaray supporters is what truly convinced the Nigerian striker to commit his future to the Istanbul giants. Kavukcu also stressed that the strong bond between the player and the fans means financial disputes will never become a problem.

When reminded of reports that the Galatasaray striker missed the TÜMOSAN Konyaspor match in the 23rd week of the Super League due to knee pain because he had not received his salary, Kavukcu strongly dismissed the suggestion.

“Different comments are constantly being made about Victor Osimhen,” Kavukcu said, as per NTVSpor.

“How many players like Osimhen are there in the world? We need to look at the figures of the players being compared. Different comments are being made about Osimhen’s salary, but the facts are clear. Osimhen rejected Al-Hilal’s offer of 50 million euros per year.

“He rejected a total of 150 million euros in a 3-year contract. Would such a man refuse to play because he hasn’t received his money? If the Galatasaray fans weren’t like this, if there wasn’t so much love and support, Osimhen wouldn’t be here today.

“The support our fans give to our players is not easily seen anywhere else in the world. One thing is certain, Osimhen will take his place in Galatasaray history.”

Osimhen closes in on long-standing Galatasaray Champions League record

Osimhen will have another opportunity to strengthen his place in Galatasaray history when the Turkish champions face Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night.

The Nigerian striker is currently just one goal away from matching a long-standing club record in the competition.

The 27-year-old forward has already scored seven goals in this season’s Champions League. That tally leaves him just one strike short of the record for the most goals scored by a Galatasaray player in a single Champions League campaign. The record has stood for more than a decade and belongs to former Turkish international striker Burak Yilmaz, who scored eight goals in nine matches during the 2012–13 season.

If Osimhen finds the net against Liverpool at Rams Park, he will equal that mark and move another step closer to becoming one of the club’s great European performers.

The Nigerian forward has already been central to Galatasaray’s progress in the competition this season. Along with his seven goals, he has also registered two assists.

His impressive form has also pushed him high on the Champions League scoring charts. Osimhen currently sits fourth among the tournament’s top scorers, level with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.