Italian forward Lorenzo Insigne has expressed his surprise at Victor Osimhen’s move from Napoli to Galatasaray but is confident that the Nigerian striker made the right choice, Soccernet.ng reports.
Osimhen’s transfer to the Turkish giants raised eyebrows as he was heavily linked with some of Europe’s top clubs, including Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and Al-Ahli.
However, the deal to move to Chelsea on transfer deadline day collapsed and Osimhen opted for a loan switch to Galatasaray in September.
Insigne, a former Napoli teammate of Osimhen and a key member of Italy’s EURO 2020-winning squad, shared his thoughts on the unexpected transfer.
As per Football-Italia, the 33-year-old Insigne said, “I didn’t expect it. Victor is smart, and I am sure he made his own choices.”
Osimhen’s move has reunited him with another former Napoli star, Dries Mertens, which has pleased Insigne.
“I don’t know what happened with Napoli, but I’m happy for him (Osimhen), especially because he’ll play with Mertens. I can see that they have fun together,” Insigne remarked.
Osimhen, regarded as one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe, had a positive start to his Galatasaray career, providing an assist in a 5-0 win over Rizespor on his debut.
The 25-year-old is set to lead the line for Galatasaray in a highly anticipated Istanbul derby against Fenerbahce, managed by former AS Roma coach José Mourinho.
Osimhen has an impressive record against Mourinho, having scored three goals in six matches during the Portuguese manager’s stint at Roma.