Chelsea’s inability to land Victor Osimhen remains one of the biggest what-ifs of their modern rebuild. The Nigerian forward, who eventually moved to Turkey for a second spell and is now thriving in Europe with Galatasaray, continues to showcase the kind of firepower and mentality that the Blues have sorely missed. Gala downed Liverpool at Istanbul in the Champions League thanks to Victor Osimhen’s beautifully dispatched penalty goal.
Softfootball understands that after coming close to signing him in the summer of 2024, Chelsea eventually backed out due to wage demands and contractual complexities a decision many now call a self-inflicted wound. In hindsight, it’s becoming painfully clear that the club let a generational striker slip through their fingers, although they signed Joao Pedro, and even though the Brazilian has fitted in beautifully since joining, he doesn’t impose the kind of fear and assurance that Osimhen carries.
Osimhen isn’t just another forward. He’s a big-game player, one who delivers when the lights are brightest. His goal in the UEFA Champions League against Liverpool was another reminder of his killer instinct and composure under pressure, traits Chelsea’s current strikers have struggled to show. Nicolas Jackson, though promising, often falters when the team most needs a ruthless finisher.
Watch Victor Osimhen celebrate his Man of the match award against liverpool uploaded on Galatasaray’s official X handle.
Watch the video below:
Had Osimhen joined, his blend of pace, power, and precision could’ve transformed Chelsea’s entire attacking dynamic. Instead, the London club’s frontline still looks short of that world-class edge that defines title-winning sides. The Nigerian’s relentless pressing and aerial threat are exactly what Enzo Maresca’s system or any Chelsea manager’s, really has long cried out for.
Now, as Osimhen lights up the Champions League stage and having completed a permanent move to Galatasaray in the summer, Chelsea’s hesitation looks even more misguided. In passing on him, they didn’t just lose a striker they lost a potential Drogba-like figure, a player with the charisma and hunger to carry a club through tough times.
It’s one thing to miss a target; it’s another to watch him become the player you always needed. Chelsea might be learning that lesson the hard way.
