Serie A clubs, including Juventus and Roma, are on high alert following confirmation from Nigeria coach Eric Challe that striker Victor Osimhen “might be about to change clubs” after two years with Galatasaray.
Osimhen, who previously won the Scudetto with Napoli, was loaned to Galatasaray in 2024 due to a strained relationship with his former club. Despite initial transfer fee expectations, he was eventually sold to the Turkish side last summer for €75 million.
The Nigerian manager, Eric Challe, confirmed Osimhen’s potential move during a press conference where he also announced the player’s exclusion, along with Ademola Lookman, from Nigeria’s squad for a friendly against Poland.
Nigeria Confirms Osimhen’s Potential Transfer
“We are missing two players because Victor Osimhen might be about to change clubs, so I prefer he stays at home because if he plays and is not at 100 percent, it’s not good,” stated the coach.
“Regarding Lookman, he is very tired, and Atletico [Madrid] has asked us to excuse him.”
Juventus has shown interest in Osimhen for several years. However, Napoli, still wary of losing Gonzalo Higuain to their rivals, has made it a policy to prevent selling top players to the Bianconeri. To avoid a repeat of the €90 million Higuain transfer in 2016, Napoli implemented release clauses in player contracts that are only valid for clubs outside of Italy.
In Osimhen’s case, Napoli reportedly went a step further by including a clause that blocks his transfer to Serie A until September 2027, with a penalty of €50 million if violated. It remains to be seen if this clause is still enforceable or if it can be waived for clubs other than Juventus.
Osimhen has had a productive season, scoring 22 goals and providing eight assists in 33 competitive matches. Therefore, a return to Serie A for the striker is a possibility if he is indeed seeking a new club.
While Juventus’s chances might be diminished by their failure to qualify for the Champions League, Roma is actively searching for a centre-forward with similar attributes. Mason Greenwood of Olympique Marseille is reportedly their primary target, but Osimhen could now be on their radar.
