Serie A clubs, including Juventus and Roma, are on high alert following a statement from Nigeria coach Eric Challe indicating that Victor Osimhen “might be about to change clubs” after two years with Galatasaray.
The Nigerian center-forward previously achieved Scudetto glory with Napoli. However, a strained relationship with the club led to his loan move to Galatasaray in 2024. Although he was initially valued at double that sum, he was ultimately sold to the Turkish side last summer for €75 million.
Now, it appears Osimhen is back on the market, a situation confirmed by Nigeria manager Challe during a press conference. Challe explained Osimhen’s and Ademola Lookman’s absence from the squad for a friendly against Poland.
Nigeria Confirms Osimhen’s Potential Transfer
“We are missing two players because Victor Osimhen might be about to change club, so I prefer he stays at home because if he plays and is not at 100 percent, it’s not good,” the coach stated. “Regarding Lookman, he is very tired, and Atletico has asked us to excuse him.”
Juventus has shown interest in Osimhen in previous years. However, Napoli, having experienced losing Gonzalo Higuain to their rivals, has been reluctant to sell their top players to Juventus. Their contract release clauses are reportedly valid only for clubs outside Italy to prevent a repeat of the €90 million Higuain transfer in 2016.
Napoli reportedly went a step further with the Galatasaray sale, allegedly including another clause that blocks Osimhen’s move to Serie A until September 2027, with potential penalties of €50 million. It remains to be seen if this clause is still enforceable or can be waived for a club other than Juventus.
Osimhen has had a productive season, scoring 22 goals and providing eight assists in 33 competitive matches. If he is indeed seeking a new club, a return to Serie A is a possibility. Juventus might have been a more likely destination had they qualified for the Champions League, but Roma is known to be in the market for a center-forward with similar attributes. While Mason Greenwood of Olympique Marseille is reportedly their top target, Osimhen could now be on their radar.