New arrival at Galatasaray of Turkey, Victor Osimhen will aim to do better than what former Super Eagles’ striker, Henry Onyekuru achieved five years ago at the Turkish Super Lig club.
Memory is still fresh with the double-feat that Onyekuru left behind at the Istanbul-based side, which he enacted in 2019, when he emerged as their highest scorer with 16 goals and helped the team win the Turkish FA Cup, which they are yet to repeat since then.
Osimhen will also target several personal gains in Istanbul, and seek to make history in being part of the squad that will bring Galatasaray and Turkey’s second ever continental title, as they compete in this season’s UEFA Europa League.
SCORENigeria reports that Osimhen will have to hit the ground running, as his new club are the only Turkish team to have ever won a European title, which they achieved when they defeated Arsenal of England 4-1 on penalties, after a goalless end to extra time in Copenhagen, Denmark during the year 2000 UEFA Cup final.
Although the ‘Orange & Red’ from Istanbul failed to overcome Young Boys FC of Switzerland in this year’s UEFA Campions League qualifiers, they will now hope on goals from Osimhen to take them far in the second-string European continental clubs’ competition.
Osimhen arrived at his new club in the early hours of Tuesday, on loan from SSC Napoli of Italy, who eventually lowered their asking price in his release clause and allowed him join ‘Gala’ for a short-term deal until 2025.
Fortunately for the former Young Strikers of Lagos, VfL Wolfsburg of Germany, Racing Charleroi of Belgium and Lille Metropole of France hitman, he will play alongside former Napoli pal, Dries Mertens, who currently dons Galatasaray’s jersey number 10.
Other esteemed players who the reigning African Footballer of The Year will compete with for spots in a double-striker-formation at his new base are former Chelsea signing, Michy Batshuayi of Belgium and the club’s assistant captain, Mauro Icardi from Argentina, who lines out in jersey number nine.
Osimhen will have to quickly settle down in order to start raining goals, with his eyes on the huge feats enacted by fellow-Nigerian striker, Onyekuru, who emerged as Galatasaray’s top scorer in 2019, while helping them to their last FA Cup title.
Osimhen will also have to outshine Mertens, who has netted 15 goals for Gala since arriving from Napoli in 2022; while noting that other celebrated stars like Wilfried Zaha, Nicolo Zaniola and Derrick Kohn had to leave Gala on loan because they could not hit top form.
However, as Osimhen sets his sight on September 25th for his Europa League debut at home against PAOK Saloniki of Greece, he will take inspiration from the success that Onyekuru achieved with this club based in the European side of Istanbul.
Other notable strikers who have achieved success with Galatasaray include their all-time top scorer, Burak Yilmaz, who hit 32 beauties in 2012/2013, followed by 18 in 2014 and 22 in 2015.
French icon, Bafetimi Gomis also hit 32 in 2017/2018, followed by Germany’s Lukas Podolski with 17 in 2016 and 2017, Kerem Akturkoglu (13 in 2002), Radamel Falcao (11 in 2020) and Mbaye Diagne (11 in 2021).
However, the club’s most recent hero that Osimhen will hope to outshine is Icardi, who netted 23 goals in 2022/2023 and 25 in 2023/2024; as he helped them surge onto back-to-back Turkish Super Lig titles.
Unfortunately, Icardi could not help them go beyond group stage in the last UEFA Champions League contest, while they fell out of the Europa League round of 16 in 2021/2022 and lost in the quarter-finals of Turkiye Kupasi (FA Cup) in quick succession.
Gala’s teeming fans will, therefore, hope Osimhen will rain goals that would see their club win the FA Cup for the first time since 2019, with Onyekuru then their most prized player, though he could not help them win the Supa Kupa.
Osimhen will also have to quickly fit into the plans of the club’s Turkish coach Okan Buruk, who played for Inter Milan of Italy from 2001 to 2004, while also flaunting previous experiences as a midfielder with Galatasaray, Besiktas and Basaksehir; plus 56 caps and eight goals for the Turkish national team.
Buruk will now aim for his biggest achievement as a coach, as he prepares to line Osimhen out against eight clubs in the revamped UEFA Europa League.
After battling PAOK on September 25th, they will prepare for dates against Tottenham Hotspur, Ajax Amsterdam, Dynamo Kiev, AZ Alkmaar, FF Malmo, Elfsborg and RPS.
Other prominent teams in this season’s Europa League that will aim to spoil Osimhen’s fun include SS Lazio, Manchester United, FC Porto, RSC Anderlecht, Eintracht Frankfurt, local rivals Fernebahce, AS Roma and Athletic Bilbao.
By Sam Femi Fasetire
