Victor Osimhen Almost Joined Juventus Before Galatasaray – Here’s What Happened

According to Ireporter Online, Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen has revealed his longstanding admiration for Juventus and disclosed that he nearly joined the Italian club before moving to Turkey.

The Nigeria international, who is currently leading Galatasaray’s European campaign, shared the insight during an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League Round of 16 first-leg clash against Juventus.

Osimhen explained that a transfer to the Turin side was considered during his tenure at Napoli but was blocked by club president Aurelio De Laurentiis. “I had the opportunity to join Juventus, yes. Juve wanted to sign me… but Napoli president De Laurentiis didn’t want to sell me to Juventus. For sure, Juventus are a top club. When Juventus calls you, you listen,” he said.

Instead, the 27-year-old striker moved to Galatasaray, initially on loan before making the transfer permanent the following season. Since then, he has emerged as a pivotal figure for the Turkish Super Lig champions, regaining both form and focus.

Osimhen also addressed speculation surrounding his departure from Napoli, particularly claims that new manager Antonio Conte did not want him at the club. He dismissed the reports, emphasizing that the decision to leave was his own. “When Conte came in, he called me into his office and said he knew about the situation, but he still wanted me to stay. I told him I would like to work with him, but I had already made my decision: I didn’t want to keep playing in a place where I wasn’t happy,” the Nigerian international added.