Galatasaray President Dursun Özbek Rules Out Victor Osimhen Sale, Calls Nigeria Striker Priceless

Clubs monitoring Victor Osimhen‘s availability have received a definitive response from Galatasaray’s top brass. President Dursun Özbek has publicly confirmed that the Nigerian forward is not available for transfer, effectively dismissing persistent links to European clubs including Barcelona.

“We are not considering selling Osimhen. Osimhen is an important player for Galatasaray. We are not considering selling an important player in our championship race,” Özbek stated, according to ntv.com. He further elaborated on why no asking price has been set: “Putting a price on someone you don’t intend to sell is like counting your chickens before they hatch… We don’t have such a thing in mind.”

The comments reinforce a position Özbek had already signalled in the days prior, when he dismissed reports suggesting the Istanbul club would consider offers in the region of €100 million for the 27-year-old striker. The president’s messaging has been consistent: Osimhen is not on the market at any figure.

The resolve behind that stance is tied directly to the circumstances and cost of Osimhen’s arrival. Galatasaray secured the forward from Napoli last summer in a deal valued at €75 million — a transfer that according to Pulse Sports required Özbek to personally contribute €35 million from his own corporate funds to push the complex negotiation over the line. That significant personal financial commitment underlines why the club’s leadership views Osimhen as a long-term asset rather than a tradeable commodity.

The investment has produced tangible results. Osimhen has been a central figure in Galatasaray’s 2025/26 Süper Lig title challenge, winning over the RAMS Park supporter base in the process. His popularity in Istanbul is cited as another reason why a player-driven push for an exit is considered unlikely — the striker has developed a deep bond with the club’s fanbase since his arrival.

Nevertheless, the situation contains an element of tension. Despite the club’s firm public stance and Osimhen’s reported affinity with Galatasaray supporters, sources suggest his representatives continue to work behind the scenes to assess possibilities for a future move away from Turkey.

Osimhen’s profile as one of the most coveted centre-forwards outside of Europe’s traditional elite clubs has sustained speculation throughout his time in Istanbul. Having previously been linked with moves to the Premier League and other top European leagues during his time at Napoli — where he won the Serie A title in 2022/23 — the Nigeria international remains a fixture in transfer discussions ahead of each window.

With the 2025/26 Süper Lig season still in progress and Galatasaray in contention for the championship, Özbek’s statement is unlikely to be the last word on the subject. The summer transfer window will test whether the club’s resolve holds against what could be substantial offers from clubs across Europe’s top leagues. For now, however, the official position from Galatasaray is unambiguous: Victor Osimhen is going nowhere.