Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen's transfer saga has reached a pivotal point, with strong indications that he is set to make his successful loan stint at Galatasaray permanent. The 26-year-old forward, who enjoyed a highly productive period with Galatasaray, winning the Turkish Super Lig and the League Cup, has reportedly accepted a lucrative €16 million-per-year offer to remain with the Turkish champions. This decision marks a significant development after months of intense speculation regarding his future.

Despite his success, Napoli's CEO, Aurelien De Laurentiis, has made it clear that Osimhen will not play another game for the Italian club and is actively working to facilitate his departure. This stance comes even as former Italy and Lazio forward, Bruno Giordano, a Napoli legend, urged the club to reinstate Osimhen. Giordano, who played 109 games for Napoli and won the Scudetto in 1986/1987, believes that Napoli, with Osimhen, would be 'almost invincible' and 'unbeatable in Italy and scary in Europe', emphasizing the strong message it would send globally.

Giordano also weighed in on potential replacements for Osimhen, discussing Liverpool's Darwin Nunez and Udinese's Lorenzo Lucca. He described Nunez as better suited for stretching the team and familiar with European competitions, while Lucca is more of a penalty area striker. He expressed confidence in Napoli's transfer market decisions, referencing their success in the previous year.

There has been a notable disparity in how Osimhen's transfer situation is reported in Italian and Turkish media. Turkish football analyst Zeki Uzundurukan has asserted that Italian sports media are spreading false narratives, particularly claims that Osimhen would join Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal. According to Uzundurukan, Osimhen has already rejected Al Hilal's offers, including an improved bid of around €40 million a year, preferring to keep his options open for European clubs. He also revealed that Osimhen has had positive phone conversations with Galatasaray's coach Okan Buruk and is 'warm to Galatasaray', with the club's sponsors ready to cover a significant portion of his €75 million release clause at Napoli.

Galatasaray's persistent push to secure Osimhen permanently appears to have paid off. Uzundurukan, editor-in-chief of Fotomac, stated that a full agreement on personal terms has been reached and the transfer is expected to be completed swiftly. He noted that offers from Europe's 'big 5 leagues' could not surpass Galatasaray's proposal, dismissing the likelihood of a move to Juventus, which recently acquired Jonathan David. Osimhen's choice to stay in Turkey is seen as a sound one, offering Champions League football, guaranteed playing time, and the adoration of a dedicated fanbase. His exceptional performance last season, where he scored 37 goals in 41 appearances, has set high expectations for his permanent tenure with the club, despite interest from Premier League giants like Manchester United and Liverpool.