Victor Osimhen’s €75m Move to Galatasaray Leaves Napoli Regretting Summer Transfer Decisions

Victor Osimhen’s €75m Move to Galatasaray Leaves Napoli Regretting Summer Transfer Decisions

Galatasaray’s signing of Nigeria international Victor Osimhen last summer for a reported €75 million has reportedly left Napoli regretting the deal, according to transfer mediator George Gardi, who played a central role in finalizing the move.

The protracted transfer saga saw Gardi convince Osimhen, regarded as one of the world’s top strikers, to join Galatasaray on a season-long loan, despite the striker being under contract with Napoli, which had a release clause of around €110 million.

Speaking to Sky Sports Deutschland, Gardi revealed:
“I decreased the release clause from Napoli to €75m. I convinced Victor to extend his contract for one more year and open the doors to a loan move. There were thousands of people waiting in Istanbul — those were the longest two hours of my football career.”

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Gardi explained that Napoli had explored options to sell Osimhen to Premier League and Saudi Pro League clubs but failed to secure a deal. As a result, they risked being stuck with an unhappy player if a transfer wasn’t completed.

“Napoli thought €75m was a big amount at the time, but the market has completely changed this summer. Offers now are €10–15m higher than the clause,” Gardi added, noting that Osimhen’s determination to play for Galatasaray facilitated the negotiations.

He described the deal as historic: “We made history bringing one of the best strikers in the world to Galatasaray at the peak of his career.”

Osimhen’s move, completed last June, highlights both his value on the global football transfer market and the financial implications of release clauses in modern soccer, leaving Napoli to reflect on missed opportunities as the market continues to inflate.

Victor Osimhen’s €75m Move to Galatasaray Leaves Napoli Regretting Summer Transfer Decisions