Before the end of the summer 2024 transfer window, the Victor Osimhen next club odds market implied that he was only going one place if anywhere – namely Stamford Bridge.
Instead, the Nigerian made a shock loan move to Galatasaray, which will run up to June 2025. It was a complete anticlimax for a young forward that remains one of the hottest properties in Europe, with an array of top clubs on the lookout for a high-class hitman.
It was a move that not only defied logic, but also the next club odds he commanded, which had him priced at just 13/10 to move to Chelsea. Here, we’ll look at why he joined Galatasaray and what the odds for his next club may look like at the end of 2024/25.
Why did Osimhen join Galatasaray?
With Napoli finishing a lowly 10th in Serie A last season and missing out on European football, a permanent move away from Napoli has always seemed inevitable. Going into the final week of the latest summer transfer window, Osimhen was 3/1 to remain at Napoli beyond August.
Yet, despite playing in a team struggling for form, Osimhen still managed 18 goals for club and country last term. That only adds to the sense of bewilderment over this week’s developments, though it was in fact the endgame to a chain of events that began way back in December.
According to BBC Sport reporter Nizaar Kinsella, Osimhen wanted to leave but accepted a contract renewal which doubled the existing £100,000 a week that he earned. However, there was also a £113m release clause – the only amount that club president Aurelio de Laurentiis was prepared to accept during the last two transfer windows.
With that cost representing too much of a gamble even for Europe’s traditional giants, Osimhen’s options were limited. Only Chelsea, via the sale of Romelu Lukaku to Napoli, had any real hope of lowering the price tag, but the wage demands proved too much.
Osimhen was therefore left in limbo, and with Lukaku going to Napoli and the Turkish transfer window being the only one still open in Europe, Osimhen joined Galatasaray.
Victor Osimhen next club odds – our latest betting tips
Although this betting market is now closed for the foreseeable future, there will be no shortage of choices in the very likely event that it will reopen. Here, we have a list of the clubs that have been most closely linked to Osimhen since his move to Turkey, ordered by how likely we think they are to sign him.
Chelsea
With a price as short as 13/10 available before the transfer window ended, the Blues were favourites to land Osimhen with most firms. And it's no great surprise either, as they were crying out for a proper centre forward last season.
Last season's big summer signing Christopher Nkunku barely kicked a ball due to injuries, and Nicolas Jackson failed to convince despite claiming a decent tally of 17 goals.
Pulling this move off when Osimhen is back on the market will depend much on Chelsea’s continued ability to avoid financial rule breaches, while also securing a return to the Champions League.
Paris St-Germain
The French giants are still coming to terms with life after Kylian Mbappe. The superstar's move to Real Madrid has left a hole in PSG's attack, and Osimhen could be tasked with filling his boots.
The Champions League remains the holy grail for Paris St-Germain, after falling in the semi-final to Dortmund last season. Luis Enrique's side missed so many chances across both legs, and it could easily have been a different story had Osimhen been in the team.
PSG's Qatari owners have deep pockets, so striking a deal with Napoli wouldn't be a problem if the club president is open to negotiation. That much is reflected by the 4/1 price he commanded before the close of the summer transfer window.
Arsenal
The Gunners are another team who badly need an out-and-striker as they bid to grab the Premier League crown from Manchester City. Kai Havertz isn't a natural player up front, while Eddie Nketiah hasn't impressed in the chances handed to him by Mikel Arteta.
New acquisition Raheem Sterling is also in need of a lift after falling out with Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca and making the switch from blue to red
Arsenal came so close to the title last term, and surely only need a few more tweaks to go to the next level. Having Osimhen to spearhead the attack would make them a fearsome proposition, but the odds of 12/1 available on 26th August represented a massive lengthening from the 4/1 price shown back on 2nd July.
It seems likely, therefore, that Mikel Arteta won't be going for the Nigerian any time soon.
Liverpool
As little as 14/1 to sign Osimhen back in August, the Reds have a wealth of attacking options, but there are still some who remain unconvinced over Darwin Nunez. He was maddeningly inconsistent at times in 2023/24, and signing Osimhen would give Liverpool vital options if the Uruguayan fades away again.
A perfect three-game start for Liverpool in August suggests they aren’t exactly desperate for ‘more of an edge’ at this time, but greater tests than Ipswich, Brentford and a stuttering Manchester United lie ahead.
The real acid tests will be games against the two other teams expected to fight them all the way, namely Arsenal and Man City.
A man like Osimhen certainly wouldn’t go amiss in games against those sides, especially with City hitman Erling Haaland in the opposition’s frontline – a situation that often calls for fighting fire with fire.
I'm a sports journalist, football tipster and author from Dundee, who is now working in Glasgow. I've covered games at every level, from Junior football to internationals, and still love football even though it has clearly sold its soul. I've been in football tipping since 2018 with the MFT site.
