How Victor Osimhen fits in at SEVEN top clubs named in Galatasaray break-clause
Victor Osimhen has a 10-club break clause in his Galatasaray contract
Napoli’s Victor Osimhen was expected to be the subject of one of the biggest deals of the 2024 summer transfer window, but as deadlines passed across the continent, no permanent deal was struck for the Nigerian striker’s services.
Linked with Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the summer, Chelsea later emerged as the frontrunners for the 25-year-old’s signature. But with no club willing to meet the €130 million release clause in his contract, Osimhen remained a Napoli player when the Premier League’s window closed.
Napoli had already planned for the 2024-25 season without their star striker, signing Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea to lead the line for Antonio Conte’s side, so Osimhen has joined Galatasaray on a season-long loan.
But reports quickly emerged claiming the loan deal that has taken the 2023 African Footballer of the Year to Turkey contains a break clause that would allow the player to join any club from a list of 10 sides if they come in for him in January, while his Napoli release clause is said to have been reduced to €75 million.
TEAMtalk recently revealed seven of the clubs named in Osimhen’s loan contract, and here is how he would fit in with each…
Chelsea
Locked in talks with Napoli over the final hours of the summer transfer window, Chelsea were not able to come to an agreement over the signing of Osimhen. And while Brentford’s Ivan Toney was named as a potential alternative target for the Blues, he instead signed for Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League.
So that left the Stamford Bridge side without the new No.9 they coveted. Nicolas Jackson, a £32 million signing from Villarreal just a year ago, continues to start as the main striker in Enzo Maresca’s side after scoring 14 goals in his debut Premier League campaign. And the 23-year-old recently signed an improved contract with the club.
But the young Sengal international is still raw in his development. If Chelsea hope to challenge for major honours once again, they will need a more reliable option up top in the short term.
A return for Osimhen in January would make sense. And as a tactical fit, the former Lille striker is tailor-made to spearhead an attack supplied by Cole Palmer, who provided the second-most assists in the Premier League last season.
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Liverpool
There was widespread surprise when the final week of the transfer window loomed and Liverpool had not yet furnished new manager Arne Slot with a single summer signing.
The Reds had tried bolster their midfield options with a move for Martin Zubimendi, but the Spain international playmaker elected to stay with Real Sociedad. And in the last days of the window, they finally made a purchase, with Federico Chiesa arriving from Fiorentina for just £10 million to act as Mohamed Salah’s stand-in.
So far in his first Anfield campaign, Slot has lined up with versatile Portuguese forward Diogo Jota as his striker, while Darwin Nunez has been coming off the bench.
With uncertainty around Mohamed Salah’s contractual situation as the Egyptian star heads towards free agency next summer, the Liverpool attack would be revitalised and future-proofed by a move for Osimhen.
Arsenal
After finishing runners-up to Manchester City in the Premier League last season, one key area pinpointed for improvement within Arsenal’s squad was at the striker position.
Gabriel Jesus had scored just four league goals and Eddie Nketiah, who was sold this summer to Crystal Palace, added just five.
The Gunners were linked with a host of expensive signings at the point of attack, with Osimhen among them. But Mikel Arteta has opted to continue with Kai Havertz as a false nine, instead strengthening his options on the wing with the addition of Raheem Sterling on loan from Chelsea.
But if the current plan of attack is falling short of expectations come mid-season, Arsenal could be tempted to move for a more conventional centre-forward rather than risk another title challenge falling short. They’ve spent big on a striker during the January window in the recent past, with the club-record signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in 2019.
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Paris Saint-Germain
Osimhen was not the only Napoli player linked with a move to the Parc des Princes this summer. Star winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was also reportedly a top target for PSG as they sought to fill the hole left by Kylian Mbappe’s departure.
In the end, the Ligue 1 champions signed neither Serie A standout. And they have hardly suffered for missing out on the San Paolo attacking pair, having scored 13 goals in their first three games of the 2024-25 season in the French top flight.
It is not domestic dominance that PSG targeted Osimhen to help with, however. Their biggest goal is to land an elusive Champions League title. It is conceivable that, at some stage over the next 12 months, they will return for the 35-cap Nigeria star to aid in this quest.
Supplied by Ousmane Dembele and new teenage playmaking sensation Joao Neves, Osimhen could thrive in France.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid currently have Kylian Mbappe as their first-choice No.9. There aren’t many strikers in the world over whom Osimhen would not be an upgrade, but the rapid Frenchmen is among that very small number.
However, the early weeks of Mbappe’s Madrid career are something of an experiment, with the former Paris Saint-Germain superstar being deployed centrally, rather than in his preferred role coming in from the left flank.
And Mbappe is currently the least efficient striker in Europe statistically, with his one open-play La Liga goal to date coming from a whopping 25 shots.
If the 15-time champions of Europe decide Mbappe is better on the left side of attack, they could then be in the market for a new central striker. In that case, Osimhen would certainly fit the bill.
Barcelona
Another unlikely contender for Osimhen’s signature, Barcelona’s precarious financial situation probably precludes them from making a move for the on-loan Galatasaray striker this season.
Plus, they have the still-prolific 36-year-old Robert Lewandowski as their top choice for the centre-forward role.
Osimhen would make the perfect eventual heir to the Polish veteran, though, able to maximise the creativity of the likes of Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo and Raphinha through his unparalleled off-ball movement and predatory skills in the penalty area.
Bayern Munich
Given Harry Kane’s presence as the centrepiece of the Bavarian giants’ attack, it is unlikely Bayern Munich would consider spending heavily on a new star striker mid-season.
Hypothetically, though, their differing skillsets mean Kane and Osimhen could form a fearsome tandem if partnered up front at the Allianz Arena.
Kane made a record-setting start to life in Germany last season, scoring 36 league goals in 32 games.
But the England captain is also an excellent playmaker, adept at dropping deep to link play and create chances for others. He provided eight Bundesliga assists last season, and back in the 2020-21 Premier League campaign, he registered a career-high 14 assists.
With Osimhen as the conventional No.9 threatening defences in behind with his pace and movement, Kane could lean into his creative side and fire Bayern back to Bundesliga supremacy.