Victor Osimhen has come under renewed spotlight after Galatasaray narrowly progressed despite a 3:2 extra-time defeat to Juventus FC in the Champions League playoff second leg.
After winning the first leg 5:2, Galatasaray almost crashed out following a 3:0 deficit at full time in the return leg, before late extra-time drama saw them lose 3:2 but still advance 7:5 on aggregate. The scare has reignited conversations about the Turkish Super League’s level compared to Europe’s top five leagues.
Softfootball, in previous analysis, stated that a player of Osimhen’s caliber should be competing in one of Europe’s elite leagues the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, or Ligue 1.
Within those leagues, suggestions often point to clubs such as Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern München, Inter Milan, AC Milan or even Juventus.
Osimhen cannot return to SSC Napoli due to their fractured relationship before his departure. He signed a four-year contract with Galatasaray on July 31 for a reported €75 million net transfer fee paid to Napoli, making him the highest transfer fee in Turkish football history.
While Turkey is in Europe and Galatasaray is a historic club, critics argue the global viewership and competitive intensity of the Turkish Super League do not match the top five leagues. Many high-profile names who moved to Galatasaray such as İlkay Gündoğan, Leroy Sané and Mauro Icardi had already spent their peak years at Europe’s elite clubs.
Osimhen, however, remains in his prime. Observers believe he may desire a move to a league offering higher competition and motivation. Beyond Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe S.K., few Turkish clubs command global recognition among average football fans.
The dramatic 3:2 loss to Juventus, after leading 5:2 from the first leg, has also raised questions about consistency within the Galatasaray squad as they continue their European campaign.
