They wanted to sign me — Victor Osimhen drops transfer revelation before UCL clash

Victor Osimhen has become one of the world's most feared strikers, scoring consistently for club and country over the past few years.

The Nigerian forward conquered the Serie A, helping Napoli win their first league title for 30 years, subsequently endearing himself to multiple top clubs across Europe.

A rift with Napoli meant he spent last season on loan at Turkish side Galatasaray, a move that was made permanent last summer after the 27-year-old scored 37 goals in 41 games for the Istanbul club.

However, according to Osimhen himself, he could have ended up at another club, Juventus.

Speaking in an interview ahead of Tuesday evening's clash with Juventus, Osimhen confirmed long-standing speculation about the Bianconeri's interest, revealing that sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli personally submitted a bid to try to secure the deal.

"Juventus wanted to sign me, and Giuntoli submitted a bid to try to close the deal, but President #DeLaurentiis didn’t sell me to Juve," Osimhen said.

"Juve are a top club. I never had a fight with Luciano Spalletti. When Juventus call you, you have to listen with them."

The comments come at a curious time, as Osimhen has been the subject of exit rumours over the past week, with Juventus in particular, heavily linked.

There is also a sense of familiarity as Juve boss Luciano Spalletti, coached Osimhen at Napoli.

Spalletti has publicly praised the Nigerian's "extraordinary talent" ahead of the tie, calling him a chaotic threat who creates space for teammates like Mauro Icardi, while vowing to keep him quiet in Istanbul.

Osimehn enters this clash in fine form with six goal contributions in his last 5 games, including a playmaking masterclass in Galatasaray's 5-1 win over Eyupspor at the weekend.