Osimhen’s Galatasaray move draws accolades, criticism from Mourinho

Despite being sidelined from competitive action since May, Osimhen scored in Nigeria’s win over Benin Republic in September to become the third-highest goalscorer in Super Eagles history.

Fenerbahçe head coach José Mourinho has expressed admiration for Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, who recently completed a season-long loan move to Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe’s fierce rival in the Turkish Süper Lig.

Osimhen’s transfer saga was one of the major headlines on the final day of the summer transfer window after a prolonged and failed negotiations between Napoli, Chelsea, and the player’s camp. While the loan move to Galatasaray came as a relief to all parties involved, some critics claimed Osimhen’s transfer deadlock was because his quality didn’t justify the €130 million release clause Napoli initially wanted.

Addressing Osimhen’s new €75 million buyout clause, Mourinho told HT Spor, “Osimhen is a fantastic player. If I were at a club with the resources to pay his €70-75 million fee, I’d buy him. He’s a fantastic talent, and Galatasaray has gotten an absolutely fantastic player. Of course, he can be in different circumstances, but in the end, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that Galatasaray got an absolutely fantastic player.”

However, Mourinho criticised Osimhen’s fondness for diving as an improper trait for one of Africa’s best footballers.

“I don’t have any issues with Victor. In fact, we have a very good relationship. However, every time I play against him, I speak to him because I don’t like the way he behaves—he dives too much,’’ the ex-Chelsea coach said.

“The last time Roma played against Napoli, I had this conversation with him and told him, ‘Look, you’re one of the two best African players. It is you and Salah. In the past, we had Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, and George Weah. You cannot behave like this.’ He dives too much, and that is my problem with him.”

Osimhen was on duty for Nigeria in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda on September 7 and 10. Despite being sidelined from competitive action since Napoli’s goalless draw against Parma in May, the ex-Lille striker found the back of the net in Nigeria’s 3-0 win over Benin in Uyo. This goal brought his total tally to 22 goals in 36 appearances, making him the third-highest goalscorer in Super Eagles history.