What Spaletti’s move to Juventus means for Osimhen’s Galatasaray future

Luciano Spalletti’s surprise move to Juventus has sparked instant chatter about whether a reunion with Victor Osimhen could be on the horizon.

However, while nostalgia and headlines make the idea tempting, the reality of Osimhen’s Galatasaray situation and the club’s stance paints a very different picture.

Spalletti and Osimhen enjoyed one of Serie A’s most iconic recent partnerships, winning the Scudetto together in 2022/23 as the Nigerian superstar scored 31 goals and four assists in 39 games during Napoli’s historic title charge.

That Napoli performance made Osimhen a long-term Juventus target during Cristiano Giuntoli’s Juventus tenure, but much has changed: Giuntoli has moved on, and reports suggest Osimhen’s transfer to Galatasaray came with a clause preventing a move back to Italy for two years.

Even if Spalletti admires Osimhen, and even if Juventus crave a lethal striker to replace Dusan Vlahovic, the logistics are stacked against a reunion.

Galatasaray signed him permanently after an explosive loan spell, and he's continued where he left off, scoring in seven straight European matches, a club record, and baecoming the face of their project.

Galatasaray’s leadership have been emphatic: Osimhen is not leaving. Club president Dursun Özbek declared, “Although the transfer fee was debated as high at the time, today the football community thinks the amount paid was low and the player’s value is much higher.”

Vice-chair Abdullah Kavukcu added, “If 75 million euros is all it takes, then anyone can go and sign him,” while revealing Osimhen rejected “a much higher offer elsewhere” just to join them.

Sentiment aside, Juventus, even with Spalletti, will have to watch Osimhen’s rise from a distance, as for now, the Nigerian star remains Istanbul’s king.