Galatasaray Sportif AŞ deputy chairman İbrahim Hatipoğlu has revealed the club is planning to make Victor Osimhen’s stay at the club permanent, Soccernet.ng reports.
Osimhen joined Galatasaray on a season-long loan deal in early September after he failed to secure a move to Chelsea on transfer deadline day.
Reports suggest that there are certain clauses in Osimhen’s Galatasaray contract that a number of top European clubs could activate to free him for a permanent deal in January.
But Galatasaray chief İbrahim Hatipoğlu has rubbished those reports, insisting that the Super Eagles striker is tied to the Istanbul giants until June 2025.
Maintaining that Osimhen is happy at Galatasaray, Hatipoğlu has shared that the reigning Turkish champions have initiated plans to keep Osimhen beyond next summer.
“Osimhen’s leaving in January is out of the question,” Hatipoğlu said, in quotes relayed by NTVSpor.
“In fact, we are making plans to have Osimhen play next season as well. Osimhen is a Galatasaray player until June. Discussing this is aimed at changing the agenda, at spoiling the pleasure of watching Osimhen. The player shows how devoted he is to Galatasaray in every match.
“A person plays where he is happy. He has a contract with us until the end of the season. He is very happy to have come to Galatasaray. We should think about how he will be together with Osimhen in the following seasons. There is no need to discuss whether he will leave during the break.”
Signing Osimhen could be a difficult venture for Galatasaray as the Nigerian forward has a reported €75 million release clause inserted in his new Napoli contract.
The highest transfer fee Galatasaray has ever shelled out on a player is the 18 million euros the club paid Norwich City to sign Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Sara this summer.