Oluwatosin Enesi
The reigning African footballer of the year joined Galatasaray on a season-long loan from Napoli for the 2024/25 season on Tuesday after the Italian club agreed to the dry loan move.
The move has not only boosted Osimhen presence in European football but also significantly elevated his social media profile.
According to sportsration.com‘s report, since Galatasaray officially announced the agreement with Napoli on their social media platforms, Osimhen has gained over 100,000 new followers on Instagram, with his count rising from 4.4 million to 4.5 million in less than 24 hours. This rapid growth underscores Osimhen’s influence as one of Africa’s most prominent footballers and highlights the excitement surrounding his move to Turkey.
Osimhen’s transfer to Galatasaray followed a dramatic transfer saga that saw his anticipated move to Chelsea collapsed on deadline day.
The Nigerian international was on the verge of joining Chelsea, but negotiations failed to progress, leaving him to stay in Naples. This came despite a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli, who were prepared to pay Osimhen a staggering €30 million per year over a four-year contract. However, the Nigerian super star opted to continue his career in Europe, leading to his loan move to Galatasaray.
The surge in Osimhen’s social media following further cements his status as one of the most influential African footballers globally, and his journey at Galatasaray is set to be closely followed by millions of fans around the world.
Meanwhile, Napoli manager Antonio Conte has apologised to Nigerian international Victor Osimhen, who is on a season-long loan move at Galatasaray.
Osimhen was the major subject of the summer transfer window; however, all available deals for the player collapsed.
The former Lille of France striker was on the verge of joining Chelsea on the transfer deadline day, but negotiations somehow fell apart.
Osimhen, who had been frozen out of the Napoli squad, went on to agree on a season-long loan deal with Turkish club Galatasaray after Conte reiterated that no player would be reinstated.
According to The Cult of Calcio, the manager has since apologised. Conte said:
“Some issues blocked it; perhaps if we had unlocked that [Osimhen] situation, we would have completed the team differently and earlier.
“I’m sorry about what happened. I’m sorry for Osimhen. I’m sorry for the club that didn’t monetize.
“I am sorry for myself because we didn’t complete the team as we wanted, but the club proved to be consistent in this situation.
“Coherence is the starting point when it comes to respecting the rules. The club proved consistent, so I praise them for this attitude.”
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