Ilkay Gundogan, the talented player from Manchester City, has shared his thoughts on Victor Osimhen’s potential loan move to Galatasaray. Osimhen, a striker from Napoli, arrived in Istanbul in the early hours of Tuesday for medical tests before the expected transfer.
The Nigerian striker had expressed his desire to play in the Premier League, particularly for Chelsea, but a deal could not be reached during the summer transfer window. However, Galatasaray has now entered negotiations with Napoli for Osimhen’s transfer.
Surprisingly, Gundogan commented on the situation as well, reacting to the news of Osimhen’s imminent move to Turkey.
Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City has shared his thoughts on Victor Osimhen’s decision to join Galatasaray on loan.
Osimhen arrived in Turkey in preparation for finalizing a temporary transfer to the Turkish team for a year.
Gundogan, who recently returned to City following a season at Barcelona, expressed his reaction on Instagram with the words ‘Wow… crazy’ and a variety of emojis.
Although Gundogan’s connection to the move may be surprising, he previously mentioned that his family are all Galatasaray fans, except for his mum.
In an interview with The Players Tribune in 2021, Gundogan shared, “Whenever a Turkish team played in Europe, my family would drop everything and passionately support the team. It was like a life or death situation for them.”
He also fondly recalled the moment when Galatasaray won the UEFA Cup in 2000, watching the final with his family and witnessing his uncle’s emotional reaction after the victory.
Reportedly, a peculiar clause has been included in Osimhen’s loan deal with Galatasaray, where the Nigerian player will join the Turkish club on a one-year loan with this unique condition in his contract.
Gundogan expressed his amazement by saying ‘Wow… insane’ and adding a series of emojis in his comment on Instagram.
Reportedly, Osimhen has requested a break clause in his contract that pertains to ten specific clubs, as reported by Turkish outlet A Spor. This clause would allow him to leave if any of these teams make an offer in January. Furthermore, there are claims that he is seeking to lower his release clause from £109 million to £63 million in order to facilitate a permanent transfer. Osimhen’s move to Turkey on deadline day occurred after he was left out of Napoli’s squad for the 2024-25 season, indicating a strained relationship with the club.