Osimhen vs Parrott: Why 31-goal Irish striker rejected Galatasaray over Nigeria star

Troy Parrott has taken a different path from Victor Osimhen after reportedly turning down a chance to join Galatasaray because he did not want to play second fiddle to the Nigerian striker, Afrik-Foot reports.

According to Turkish outlet Haber Sarı Kırmızı, journalist Ali Naci Küçük said Parrott rejected Galatasaray’s proposal with a clear message: he did not want to be “the second man” or play behind in-form Osimhen. The report said Parrott’s potential deal would have cost about €20 million.

The decision makes sense when the two forwards’ career profiles are compared. ‘World class‘ Osimhen is already an established elite striker. Parrott, at 24, is still building that status.

Osimhen’s role: Galatasaray’s established No. 9

Osimhen’s position at Galatasaray would have made regular competition for the centre-forward role difficult. The Nigeria international, who has made a big inroad into Galatasaray’s record books, scored seven goals in 10 Champions League appearances during the 2025-26 campaign. Add that to the 15 league goals he managed to power Galatasaray to a fourth consecutive Super Lig crown.

His European record, in particular, gives him a level of status that few forwards can match. Osimhen is Nigeria’s all-time leading Champions League scorer, with 16 goals. He also scored the extra-time winner against Juventus in Turin back in February as Galatasaray reached the last 16 of the competition for the first time in over a decade.

Then there was the night in Amsterdam. On November 5, 2025, Osimhen scored three goals in 19 second-half minutes as Galatasaray beat Ajax 3-0. With that haul, he became only the second Galatasaray player in history to score a Champions League hat-trick.

That is the problem Parrott would have faced. He would not have been joining a team searching for its main striker. He would have been competing with a forward who had already delivered in major European matches.

Parrott’s profile is different. The Dublin-born striker came through Tottenham’s academy after joining the club in 2017. He made his Premier League debut at 17 but could not secure a regular first-team place. Loan spells followed at Millwall, Ipswich, MK Dons, Preston and Excelsior.

His career changed in the Netherlands. After scoring 17 goals in 32 games for Excelsior in 2023-24, he joined AZ Alkmaar permanently in July 2024.

Parrott’s choice: a club where he can lead the attack

Parrott then produced the season that changed his market. He scored 31 goals and supplied 12 assists for AZ last term, while helping the club win the Dutch Cup and Super Cup.

His Ireland form also lifted his profile. He scored five goals across two major World Cup qualifying wins over Portugal and Hungary in November, including a 96th-minute winner in the 3-2 victory in Budapest.

That run created a different career situation. Parrott was no longer simply a former Tottenham prospect looking for a way into regular football. He was a 24-year-old striker coming off 31 goals in 48 club appearances and looking for a club where he could play a major role.

Real Betis offered that route. The Spanish club completed his move from AZ on August 20 with a five-year contract running until 2031. The reported deal is worth about €20 million, while Spanish outlet AS reported a €16 million fixed fee with variables.

Betis also finished fifth in La Liga last season and qualified for the Champions League, giving Parrott European football without putting him directly behind Osimhen in a striker hierarchy.

That is the key difference between the two situations. Osimhen has already earned the right to be Galatasaray’s focal point. Parrott has just reached the stage where his next club can decide how far his career goes.

If Küçük’s account is accurate, Parrott did not reject Galatasaray because he lacked ambition. He rejected a role that could have limited his minutes and chose a situation where his 31-goal AZ season can become the starting point for his next level.