Turkish football analyst Uğur Meleke believes it would not be surprising if Victor Osimhen leaves Galatasaray for one of Europe’s biggest clubs in the near future, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Nigerian striker has enjoyed a remarkable season in Turkey, leading Galatasaray’s push to retain the Süper Lig title while also driving their strong campaign in the UEFA Champions League.
Osimhen’s impact has been felt across Europe. The Super Eagles forward has scored seven goals in this season’s Champions League, including impressive strikes against Liverpool and Juventus.
He also reached a personal milestone at the weekend, scoring his 10th league goal in Galatasaray’s 3-1 home victory over Alanyaspor.
Speaking after the latest performance, Meleke praised the Nigerian’s qualities and consistency at the highest level.
“Victor Osimhen, in my opinion, is one of the top 5 strikers in the world,” Meleke said as per Habersarikirmizi.
“He's a player who could be mentioned alongside, and ranked alongside, Haaland, Lewandowski, and Lautaro Martinez. Normally, you wouldn't expect him to be in the Süper Lig at this age. But sometimes life takes a different path. That's how Osimhen's story unfolded.”
Osimhen: Transfer talk grows as Europe watches
According to Meleke, Osimhen’s performances have forced Europe’s elite clubs to take notice again, and a move to another giant side could be the next logical step in his career.
The Turkish pundit believes only a small number of elite forwards can match the Nigerian’s all-round ability and goalscoring power. He even suggested Osimhen currently ranks above Arsenal striker Viktor Gyökeres.
“Right now, you wouldn't be surprised if he went from Galatasaray to Real Madrid, Manchester City, or Liverpool,” Meleke noted.
“He could have been at Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham, or Arsenal. I think he's better than Gyökeres. Take Haaland out of the picture, and if it weren't for Barcelona's striker who's reached a certain age, and Mbappe at Real Madrid, he could be playing for those giants in England.”
Osimhen joined Galatasaray from Napoli last summer in a deal worth about €75 million. However, the Turkish champions reportedly value the striker far higher than that fee.
Club officials are said to regard the Nigerian as central to their ambitions and have even labelled him “not for sale”, despite growing interest from Europe’s biggest teams.
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