Victor Osimhen emerges as Jose Mourinho’s top transfer target for Real Madrid job

Jose Mourinho has reportedly made Victor Osimhen one of his key demands as talks continue over a sensational return to Real Madrid ahead of next season, Afrik-Foot reports.

The Portuguese manager is once again being linked with the Santiago Bernabeu after another painful campaign for the Spanish giants.

Real Madrid’s 2-0 defeat to Barcelona at Camp Nou on Sunday confirmed a second straight season without a major trophy and sealed Barca’s 29th La Liga title.

That latest Clasico setback increased pressure inside the Madrid boardroom after a season that quickly slipped away from the club. Bayern Munich knocked Madrid out of the UEFA Champions League at the quarter-final stage, while Segunda Division side Albacete produced one of the shocks of the season by dumping them out of the Copa del Rey.

The campaign began with huge optimism after Xabi Alonso replaced Carlo Ancelotti last summer. However, the former Bayer Leverkusen boss struggled to steady the team during a difficult first half of the season and was dismissed in January. Former Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa was then placed in temporary charge until the end of the season.

Now, club president Florentino Perez is searching for another rebuild and Mourinho has emerged as the leading candidate. Reports in Spain and England claim negotiations are already ongoing between both parties, with Madrid willing to activate the Benfica manager’s €3 million release clause.

If the move happens, Mourinho would return to the club he managed between 2010 and 2013, a period in which he won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup while building one of Europe’s fiercest teams.

But the 63-year-old is not only discussing coaching matters. Reports from Turkish outlet Fanatik, citing French sources, claim Mourinho has specifically requested the signing of Osimhen as part of his conditions to take over the Madrid bench.

Mourinho sees Victor Osimhen as Madrid’s missing No. 9

Jose Mourinho has long admired the Nigerian striker and previously compared him to Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, one of the greatest forwards of his managerial career.

The former Chelsea, Inter Milan and Roma boss reportedly believes Osimhen would solve Madrid’s biggest attacking problem. Since Karim Benzema left for Saudi Arabia in 2023, the club have lacked a natural central striker capable of dominating defenders physically while also stretching backlines with pace.

Although Kylian Mbappe arrived with massive expectations, there is growing belief inside the club that the French captain performs better starting from the left side rather than playing permanently through the middle. Mourinho reportedly sees Osimhen as the ideal focal point that would allow Mbappe drift back into his preferred role.

Osimhen’s numbers this season have only strengthened that argument. The Super Eagles forward has been one of Galatasaray’s standout performers since completing his permanent €75 million move to Turkey at the start of the season after a successful loan spell in 2024/25.

The 27-year-old has scored 15 goals and provided five assists in the Turkish Super Lig this season, while also netting seven times in the UEFA Champions League. His movement, aerial strength and relentless pressing have made him one of the most feared strikers in Europe once again.

Mourinho knows Osimhen well from their meetings in Serie A when the Nigerian played for Napoli and the Portuguese coach managed Roma. The pair also briefly crossed paths in Turkey when Mourinho was in charge of Fenerbahce before leaving the club.

However, completing the transfer could prove extremely difficult. Galatasaray are determined to keep their star striker despite interest from Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.

Club vice-president Abdullah Kavukcu recently revealed how important Osimhen has become in Istanbul.

“I wouldn’t sell Osimhen for 150 million euros, but it’s a matter for our president to decide,” Kavukcu told HT Spor. “When you sell him, you also need to find a replacement player. That’s very important.”

If Madrid eventually succeed, Osimhen would become the first Nigerian-born player to feature for Real Madrid’s senior team.