Victor Osimhen: 5 players standing between Nigeria star and another Turkish Golden Boot

Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen faces a tough battle to reclaim the Turkish Süper Lig Golden Boot as he looks to finish the campaign as the league’s leading scorer with Galatasaray.

The 27-year-old joined the Turkish champions in 2024, initially on a season-long loan from Napoli, and made an immediate impact with an outstanding debut campaign. His goals helped Galatasaray secure the league title, while his impressive individual performances earned him his first Turkish Golden Boot.

However, Osimhen was unable to retain the award last season after missing out on the scoring prize to fellow Nigerian Paul Onuachu of Trabzonspor and Istanbul Başakşehir forward Eldor Shomurodov. 

The Nigerian striker has already made an impressive start to his new campaign, and is already back among the leading contenders for the prestigious award.

Osimhen has scored nine goals and provided three assists in eight league appearances. He has also found the net once in two UEFA Champions League appearances, underlining his importance to Okan Buruk’s side.

However, he is not the only forward enjoying an impressive campaign in Turkey. Several established names and emerging attackers are also pushing for the Golden Boot, leaving the Super Eagles star with plenty of competition over the remaining months.

Afrik-Foot takes a look at five players who could challenge Osimhen for the Turkish Süper Lig Golden Boot.

5 players who could challenge Victor Osimhen for the Turkish Golden Boot

1. Gift Orban

One player who could give Osimhen a serious challenge is fellow Nigerian forward Gift Orban, who has made an impressive start to life in the Turkish top flight.

Orban’s career had taken a difficult turn in recent years following his breakthrough at Belgian side Gent. His subsequent spells at Lyon and Hoffenheim failed to produce the expected results, while he spent last season at Italian club Hellas Verona.

However, his move to Amedspor on loan in the summer has given him an opportunity to rediscover his best form. The agreement also includes an obligation to make the move permanent once he reaches the 10-goal mark.

The 24-year-old has been instrumental in Amedspor’s impressive start to their first-ever Süper Lig campaign, scoring nine goals and providing four assists in 10 league appearances.

His performances have also strengthened his case for a return to the Super Eagles, with the forward showing the kind of attacking quality that made him one of Europe’s exciting young strikers during his time at Gent.

Orban is currently level with Osimhen on nine league goals and has registered more assists than his compatriot. If he maintains his current form, he could become one of the biggest obstacles standing between the Galatasaray forward and another Golden Boot.

2. Mohamed Salah

Another major challenger is Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah, who joined Trabzonspor from Liverpool last summer.

Salah enjoyed an outstanding career in England, winning the Premier League Golden Boot on four occasions during his time at Liverpool. Having moved to Turkey, the experienced attacker will be keen to add another individual scoring award to his collection.

The 34-year-old has settled into life at Trabzonspor impressively and has already scored eight goals and provided three assists in 10 league appearances.

His experience, movement in the final third and ability to create scoring opportunities make him a dangerous opponent for Osimhen.

Although Salah operates in a different attacking role from the Galatasaray striker, his goalscoring numbers show that he cannot be overlooked in the race.

With several months still remaining, the former Liverpool star has enough time to close the gap and challenge for the award.

3. Eldor Shomurodov

Eldor Shomurodov is another player Osimhen will have to keep an eye on as he attempts to reclaim the Golden Boot.

The Uzbekistan international was one of the joint winners of last season’s award alongside Paul Onuachu, making him a proven contender in the Turkish top flight.

Shomurodov has continued where he left off and has already scored eight goals and provided one assist in 10 league appearances for Istanbul Başakşehir.

His ability to find space in the penalty area and take advantage of scoring opportunities has made him an important attacking figure for his club..

He is currently just one goal behind Osimhen and could quickly overtake the Nigerian if the Galatasaray forward experiences another difficult spell.

4. Vedat Muriqi

Vedat Muriqi is another experienced striker who could make the Golden Boot race difficult for Osimhen.

The Kosovo international joined Fenerbahçe from Mallorca in the summer and has made a positive start to his return to Turkish football.

Muriqi previously played for Fenerbahçe between 2019 and 2020 before moving to Lazio. His experience in the Turkish league means he understands the demands of the competition and what it takes to succeed.

The 32-year-old has already scored seven goals and provided one assist in 10 league appearances this season.

Muriqi may not have matched Osimhen’s scoring numbers yet, but his impressive start shows that he could remain in contention if he maintains his current form.

5. Dušan Vlahović

Dušan Vlahović completes the list of players who could challenge Osimhen for the Turkish Golden Boot.

The Serbian striker joined Beşiktaş in the summer after his spell at Juventus and has already shown his goalscoring quality in the Süper Lig.

Vlahović has scored seven goals in eight league appearances, putting him within touching distance of the leading scorers.

Like Osimhen, Vlahović is a natural centre-forward who thrives on getting into dangerous positions and finishing chances inside the penalty area.

He still has ground to make up in the scoring race, but his early numbers suggest he could become a serious contender if he continues to find the net regularly.

What else could stop Victor Osimhen from winning another Golden Boot?

Victor Osimhen has established himself as one of the most prolific strikers in European football, and his performances at Galatasaray have further strengthened his reputation.

Since arriving in Turkey, the Nigerian forward has become an important figure in the club’s attack, combining his goalscoring ability with his work rate.

However, his biggest challenge may not necessarily come from the other players competing for the award. One concern is his injury record. 

Osimhen has experienced fitness problems that have forced him to miss matches, and another lengthy spell on the sidelines could seriously affect his chances of finishing the campaign as the league’s leading scorer and missing domestic matches during crucial periods of the season could give his rivals an opportunity to close the gap.

There is also the challenge of maintaining his current scoring rate over a long campaign. Galatasaray will compete in several competitions, and the demands of domestic and European football could require Buruk to manage his striker’s workload carefully.

Despite this, Osimhen has already shown that he has the quality to win the award for a second time in three seasons.

The Nigerian striker will have another opportunity to add to his goal tally when Galatasaray face Stuttgart in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.