Victor Osimhen: Italian agent reveals real story of how Super Eagles ace joined Galatasaray from Napoli

An Italian agent gave a detailed narration of how he facilitated Victor Osimhen's move to Galatasaray.

Victor Osimhen's transfer from Napoli to Galatasaray remains one of the most incredible pieces of business in modern football transfer history, as it is largely uncommon for one of the top five strikers in the world to join a Turkish club in his prime. 

Much has been said about how Osimhen's love for the club helped facilitate the deal. However, there is more to it, and the agent behind it all, George Gardi, recently revealed how he made it happen in an interview with Sky Sports Germany. 

What Gardi said about Osimhen to Galatasaray

Osimhen pushed for an exit from Napoli in the summer of 2024, with a move to the Premier League his priority. However, his €130 million release clause and sizeable wage demands discouraged suitors. 

With his relationship with Napoli fractured, he joined Cim-Bom on loan towards the end of the transfer window, led them to a league title, and signed permanently. 

Gardi explained recently that he pulled the strings in the background for what is now one of the biggest love stories in Turkish football history, explaining that he orchestrated the loan-to-permanent transfer course for Osimhen to Galatasaray. 

“At the end of the market last summer, I called the coach [Galatasaray’s Okan Buruk] and the club to propose this player, and they thought it was a joke,” Gardi said.

“They did not take me seriously. Victor Osimhen, one of the best strikers in the world – why would he come to Galatasaray at 26 years old? Why would Napoli give him?”

“It was towards the end of the market. People say luck, chance, but it was no luck, no chance. It happened with Icardi, it happened with Davinson Sanchez, and it happened with Zaniolo; all these players arrived at the end of the market.

“All these big players are monitored by me. In the last days of the market, anything can happen; some details in contracts can get cancelled. When the market finished and other deals collapsed, I stepped in, and I had a clear plan. I had a few hours to execute the plan.”

Osimhen extended his contract for one year before the loan; in turn, Napoli dropped the release clause to €75 million. Gardi revealed that he was the brains behind the move. 

He also revealed that the final hours of the deal were tense, as he feared that Osimhen could change his mind, given that the Nigerian contemplated remaining at Partenopei. 

“I decreased the release clause from Napoli, which was over €100m, to €75m. I convinced Victor to extend the contract for one more year and open the doors to a loan move.”

“There were many problems. We were at the airport, and the UEFA lists were closing the day after; there were problems with the contract at Napoli, he was not sure whether to leave or not, and I convinced him to come.

“I was thinking to myself, what happens if he doesn’t come now? There were thousands of people already waiting in Istanbul, and those were the longest two hours of my football career.

“He had a strong determination to come to Gala from the beginning; he had great respect for the club. After one year, when the clause was at €75m, this summer market was not the €75m as last summer.

“Napoli had thought it was a big amount at the time, but the market completely changed this summer. If you look at the transactions in the market, many were much higher than €75m.

“This is one of the best number 9s in the world, perhaps one of the best, so to buy him at €75m was a good financial operation for the club.”

He was also involved last summer, when Galatasaray signed him permanently. He explained why the deal dragged on, stating that the Nigerian was considering his options amid multiple offers. 

“This negotiation also lasted many months, because Victor had to decide where he wanted to play. He could choose among the best clubs in the world; only some of them came out in the press, but there were many more.”

“He took his decision around the beginning of July, and the clause was ending at the beginning of July, so when the clause expired, they suddenly received offers €10-15m higher than the clause.

“Victor was very strong, and he said I am only going to play with Gala. That helped us a lot in the negotiations. They did an unbelievable job to find €75m to pay Napoli in one year; we made history to bring one of the best strikers in the world to Galatasaray at the peak of his career.”

Osimhen has now been linked with the likes of Barcelona, with Galatasaray said to have slapped a €140 million release clause on him.