Galatasaray vice president Abdullah Kavukcu has hit back at claims that Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen is at the RAMS Park for financial reasons, insisting the Nigerian’s decision to stay in Istanbul is driven entirely by the love of the fans and nothing else, Footynaija.com reports.
The backdrop to Kavukcu’s comments is a wave of speculation in Turkey recently suggesting Osimhen had been unhappy at the club, fuelled partly by his muted celebrations in recent games, and partly by rumours that Galatasaray owed him two months’ salary.
President Dursun Ozbek had already dismissed the salary claims as an insult to the professionalism of his players. Kavukcu went further, addressing the broader narrative that money is the reason Osimhen is in Turkey rather than playing Champions League football with one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
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Last summer, before Osimhen signed permanently from Napoli in a €75 million deal, Al-Hilal came in with an offer of €50 million a year, totalling €150 million over three years. Osimhen turned it down without hesitation.
“Different comments are being made about Osimhen’s salary, but the facts are clear. Osimhen rejected Al-Hilal’s offer of €50 million per year. He rejected a total of €150 million in a three-year contract. Would such a man refuse to play because he hasn’t received his money?” Kavukcu said via NTVSpor.
It was not the first time Al-Hilal had tried. They came for Osimhen in 2023 when he was at Napoli, offering around €30 million a year, and were turned down then too. Kavukcu’s argument is that a player who has walked away from that kind of money twice is not at Galatasaray for a pay cheque.
“If the Galatasaray fans weren’t like this, if there wasn’t so much love and support, Osimhen wouldn’t be here today. The support our fans give to our players is not easily seen anywhere else in the world. One thing is certain: Osimhen will take his place in Galatasaray history,” he added.
Osimhen currently earns €21 million a year at Galatasaray, net of tax, which is considerably more than he earned at Napoli, but a fraction of what Saudi Arabia had put on the table.
He has 18 goals and eight assists across all competitions this season, and Galatasaray are currently top of the Süper Lig with nine games to go, chasing a 26th league title.
