Olaleye IDOWU
Galatasaray’s vice-president, Abdullah Kavukcu, has disclosed that Arsenal’s sporting director, Andrea Berta, was taken aback by the financial details of the Victor Osimhen transfer.
Following a standout season on loan from Napoli, the Turkish Super Lig champions secured the former African Footballer of the Year on a permanent deal last summer, despite the striker being pursued by clubs in the Premier League and Saudi Arabia.
Osimhen concluded his five-year tenure at Napoli after Galatasaray triggered his €75 million release clause.
The 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup winner is set to receive a guaranteed annual salary of €15 million, in addition to a net loyalty bonus of €1 million each season and an extra €5 million annually from image rights.
With Osimhen signing a four-year contract, Galatasaray’s total financial obligation to bring him back to Istanbul is estimated to be around €159 million throughout the contract’s duration.
Discussing the Nigerian striker’s importance to the Turkish club, Kavukcu emphasised that he would not entertain selling Osimhen, even for a substantial fee of €150 million.
“I wouldn’t sell him for €150 million, but ultimately, it is a decision for our president to make,” Kavukcu stated to HT Spor, as reported by Haber Sarikirmizi
“When you sell him, you must also find a replacement player. This is crucial.
“The Arsenal sporting director visited recently and was surprised that we were committing these amounts.
“Their budget stands at €800 million. Our budget for this year will be €500 million.”
Abdullah Kavukcu also emphasized the commercial influence Osimhen has had on Galatasaray since his arrival, noting that the Super Eagles star continues to generate substantial revenue off the field.
“Osimhen will remain with us. We anticipate generating around €22 million from his presence.
“We also have three advertising deals with Victor. We receive €2 million from each of them for advertising shoots. We collect €6 million from this.
“The Osimhen transfer has added a lot to us; we have reaped the rewards of our ambition.”
