Galatasaray assistant manager Ismael Garcia Gomez admits even they were taken by surprise when the opportunity arose to sign one of the world’s most in-demand strikers.
At the end of August, Victor Osimhen was linked with top clubs in the Premier League and La Liga, or a money-spinning move to Saudi Arabia.
But a couple of days into September, the 25-year-old Nigerian was being mobbed at the airport arrivals in Istanbul, having signed on a year’s loan with the Turkish champions.
“We all know his summer was a bit shaky, there were so many rumours, just that he was definitely not staying [at] Napoli,” Garcia Gomez tells BBC Sport. “There were options in Saudi, Chelsea, I don’t know exactly what happened.
“But in [the] last days of [the] market there was an option for us to try. I remember coming from an away game, the head coach Okan Buruk had the first call with him, when we were about to fly back to Istanbul.
“Then in two days everything was done. For the club, for the fans, it was an amazing signing to start the season.”
“Galatasaray was an amazing option for him,” Garcia Gomez says. “The info we had was that he was super motivated to be part of our family, so it was very simple to make the deal.”
The response outside of Turkey was generally shock that Osimhen had joined a Turkish club rather than go to the prestige of England or the cash of Saudi Arabia – but Turkish football journalist Kaan Bayazit says Galatasaray fit Osimhen on several levels.
“The wages being thrown around in the Premier League now make a big difference,” he told BBC Sport. “Nottingham Forest wouldn’t bat an eyelid at his wages.
“But Galatasaray have been breaking the bank in recent years. Also I don’t think Osimhen wanted to settle, he wanted to stay at the very top.
“You either go for ambition, or you go for the really big bag – and he wanted the top level.”
Osimhen has joined one of the biggest clubs in Europe by fanbase and expectation. Galatasaray are 24-time Turkish champions and have won the past two Super Lig titles.
The Galatasaray squad is packed with familiar names including Mauro Icardi, Hakim Ziyech and Davinson Sanchez.
“He has been smart, humble, coming to our club,” Garcia Gomez said. “The main part of squad has been together for two years, winning back-to-back championships.
“But he came in a smart way, trying to be a part of it, not as a typical star. He was not expecting the club will adapt to him, but he has been very humble and hard working.”
The approach has helped Osimhen – after failing to score in his opening two matches, he has netted four times in his last three league games.
