Victor Osimhen's Galatasaray contract contains a £61 million ($81.98 million) penalty clause preventing Serie A moves, with Liverpool set to face the Nigerian striker in the Champions League after Manchester United passed on signing him in 2023
Harry Brent
22:16, 01 Mar 2026
Victor Osimhen will face Liverpool later this month
Victor Osimhen will face Liverpool later this month(Image: Getty Images)
Much like Wesley Sneijder, Toni Kroos and Juan Roman Riquelme before him, Victor Osimhen has been repeatedly linked with the Premier League despite never playing in it.
The striker ended years of speculation last summer when he secured a permanent move from Napoli to Galatasaray, having spent the 2024-25 campaign on loan in Istanbul. For a considerable period, a high-profile transfer to an English club seemed unavoidable.
Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal were all, at different stages, reported to have genuine interest - but never managed to finalize a deal. However, a new opportunity to secure his services has arisen.
READ MORE: Virgil van Dijk closes gap on Premier League record amid John Terry debateREAD MORE: Liverpool handed Champions League boost after Arne Slot made feelings clear
Despite Osimhen stating he "loves Istanbul," his acknowledgement that he does "not know what the future holds" has only fuelled speculation regarding a potential summer departure from Galatasaray.
Some potential suitors, though, may discover the route to his signature is complicated. A relatively unknown clause in his contract is believed to restrict a transfer to certain clubs, effectively eliminating specific destinations and limiting his options.
Secret clause
Juventus is reportedly gearing up for a significant summer pursuit of Osimhen. Speculation about a move to Turin heightened after the striker refrained from celebrating his goal against the Old Lady in last week's Champions League match - an act he later explained as a mark of respect for former Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti, who is now at the helm of Juve.
Osimhen has already beaten Liverpool once this season
Osimhen has already beaten Liverpool once this season(Image: Getty Images)
However, Juventus' interest might just be a show. As per Gazzetta dello Sport, Galatasaray would be obliged to pay a £61 million ($81.8 million) penalty to Napoli if the Turkish team sells Osimhen to a Serie A team this year. It's believed that the clause drops to £53 million ($71.1 million) the following year before expiring altogether on September 1, 2027.
Such a financial hurdle makes a return to Italy highly unlikely in the near future - and could give a significant edge to Premier League clubs, who wouldn't face such a barrier in their pursuit of the forward. Currently, there are no credible links to English clubs, but Chelsea might choose to rekindle their interest given summer signing Liam Delap's struggles.
After all, the Blues were on the brink of securing Osimhen in 2024. They had practically agreed a deal with Napoli for him to join on loan with an obligation to buy, but the agreement fell through due to his wage demands.
Man Utd's rejection
Chelsea wasn't the sole English club to consider a move for Osimhen. Manchester United was frequently linked with the forward and had an opportunity to secure him in 2023 following his 31-goal title-winning season with Napoli.
However, with the Italian side demanding around $130 million for the player, United ultimately backed away. Former Red Devils assistant Benni McCarthy has since disclosed that the striker's absences for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) were also seen internally as a significant "stumbling block."
"If you spend £100m on a player, you don't want to lose him for AFCON," McCarthy told the BBC last month. "I think he would have been very successful there. But it was a big stumbling block. Losing him for so many important matches, the team suffers not having the main striker there. So the decision was made. Literally [a] big part was because of the AFCON and Victor Osimhen's name got scratched off - not a player of interest because of that."
Instead, United opted for Rasmus Hojlund. Following a predominantly disappointing two-year stint leading the attack at Old Trafford - producing 26 goals in 95 appearances - Hojlund joined Osimhen's former club Napoli on loan last summer.
Liverpool namedropped
Meanwhile, Galatasaray has been drawn against Liverpool in the Champions League round of 16 - the very opposition Osimhen confessed he had hoped to sidestep. The Turkish team secured its spot in the knockout stages with a dramatic 7-5 aggregate triumph over Juventus in the playoffs.
Having claimed the first leg 5-2, Gala were expected to progress. However, Juve mounted a remarkable comeback in the second leg, surging into a 3-0 advantage, despite playing with 10 men for the majority of the fixture, to force extra time. It was Osimhen who tilted the tie back in Galatasaray's direction, netting in extra time to re-establish the team's aggregate advantage before Baris Alper Yilmaz delivered the final blow with a crucial late strike.
Prior to the draw, Galatasaray understood that it would meet either Liverpool or Tottenham in the round of 16, and Osimhen was candid about his preference. The forward revealed he wished to avoid the Reds, cautioning that they would be "out for revenge" following Galatasaray's victory over them in the group stage back in September.
"I mean to be honest with you, meeting Liverpool now is going to be like some sort of revenge," he told CBS Sport. "Anyone we meet now... I wouldn't say much, but I would like to escape Liverpool. But if they come, yeah, we're going to dig it out, but it's not going to be easy.
Article continues below
"I mean, this is Champions League, no team is easy... If you want to win, you also have to play the big dogs and make a statement for yourself. We've met Liverpool, but we haven't played at Anfield. If we meet them, it's going to be an amazing game."
While Osimhen clearly holds Liverpool in high regard under Arne Slot, the club's dual acquisition of Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak last summer essentially removes it from any prospective transfer battle for his services.