Why Osimhen must leave Galatasaray to reach Mbappe, Haaland level

Nigeria has not produced a talent like Victor Osimhen in almost 20 years, at least not since the legendary Jay-Jay Okocha.

There is no doubt that Osimhen has cemented himself as Africa's best striker and possibly one of the top five greatest forwards the continent has ever seen.

He made his name at Lille before moving to Napoli for a club-record €70 million in 2020. His time at Napoli peaked spectacularly as he played a starring role in their first Serie A title in 33 years in 2023, claiming the Capocannoniere (Serie A Golden Boot) and becoming an instant cult hero in Naples.

At one point, Europe's biggest clubs were fighting for Osimhen's signature, with widespread belief he would end up in the Premier League, especially as a self-proclaimed Chelsea fan.

Instead, he joined Galatasaray permanently in the summer of 2025, after spending the previous season there on loan, winning the Süper Lig title in both campaigns.

Galatasaray remain severely limited on the biggest stage. Despite being a massive club domestically, they simply do not have the resources or squad depth to seriously challenge for the UEFA Champions League.

Osimhen has still been prolific in Europe, scoring 7 goals in the 2025-26 Champions League as he dragged Galatasaray to the round of 16, where they were eventually eliminated by Liverpool.

Recently, former Super Eagles forward Obinna Nsofor claimed Osimhen must leave Galatasaray if he wants to be regarded as the world's best striker.

"Victor Osimhen has done enough at Galatasaray. If he truly wants to become the best striker in the world, then he must move to a club that can compete seriously for the UEFA Champions League," Nsofor said.

There is no question Osimhen still commands fear and respect from defenders across Europe.

Moving to one of the top five leagues, particularly the Premier League, or even Barcelona or Real Madrid, would allow him to compete directly with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Harry Kane.

Making the right move could also position him to become Africa's first Ballon d'Or winner since George Weah in 1995.