Nigeria Super Eagles forward, Victor Osimhen, recently signed for Turkish side, Galatasaray, but former Nigerian national team captain Sunday Oliseh, a member of the FIFA Technical Committee, has shed light on the real reason several top European clubs hesitated to sign him.
Revealing the reason in a recent viral video, Oliseh said the massive total financial commitment, not a lack of interest, was the primary deterrent for potential suitors.
He provided a detailed breakdown of what he calls the “true cost” of acquiring Osimhen—a figure he calculates to be approximately €187 million over four years.
He emphasised that while fans view football through a lens of passion, the clubs themselves operate as businesses, and the transfer of a player like former Napoli striker is a significant commercial transaction.
Oliseh’s analysis goes beyond the well-publicised €75 million transfer fee Napoli demanded. He explained that the actual expenses for any club would include a clause giving Napoli 10% of any future sale, in addition to Osimhen’s hefty net salary of €15 million per year.
He stated that the player’s wages alone would cost a club around €112 million over a four-year contract, a figure that, when added to the transfer fee and potential resale clause, brought the total package to the daunting €187 million.
This staggering financial obligation, Oliseh argues, is what ultimately stalled negotiations with clubs like Manchester United and Chelsea, who were reportedly interested in the 26-year-old.
The lengthy transfer saga, which created tension between Osimhen and his former club Napoli, ended with the striker’s record-breaking move to Turkish champions Galatasaray.
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He was not available for Galatasaray’s 3-0 victory against Gaziantep but showed his support for his new team by posting a video of himself watching the game.
Osimhen, who missed pre-season training due to the transfer uncertainty, is expected to make his debut in the team’s upcoming match against Fatih Karagumruk.
Galatasaray’s acquisition is the most expensive in Turkish football history, with the club reportedly paying the entire €75 million transfer fee upfront and committing to Osimhen’s high salary.
