Galatasaray enters Europe’s elite striker rotation ranks with Osimhen signing
Victor Osimhen struck the winner as Napoli defeated Bologna. (AFP Photo)
Despite winning its first three matches of the 2024-2025 season, Galatasaray faced criticism from fans for poor performances and was eliminated by Switzerland’s Young Boys in the Champions League playoff round.
In an attempt to appease its supporters, Galatasaray made a sensational move by signing Victor James Osimhen.
The 25-year-old Nigerian striker, valued at €100 million, is the fourth most valuable active striker in the world.
Despite their Champions League exit, Galatasaray has set its sights on winning the UEFA Europa League by signing Osimhen on a one-year loan for an annual salary of €12 million.
Having previously played for major clubs such as Wolfsburg, Lille and Napoli, Osimhen scored 17 goals and provided 4 assists in 29 matches last season.
With Osimhen’s addition, Galatasaray’s striker rotation is now valued at €125 million. The team also includes star player Mauro Icardi, whose market value stands at €17 million; Michy Batshuayi at €7 million; and Halil Dervisoglu at €1 million.
Galatasaray becomes Super Lig’s most expensive team
With Osimhen’s transfer, Galatasaray’s market value has risen to €297 million, making it the most valuable team in the Super Lig – a league record. Following Galatasaray are Fenerbahce with a market value of €234 million and Besiktas with €140 million. Notably, Osimhen’s market value alone is higher than that of 16 Super Lig teams.
While Galatasaray boasts the most expensive striker rotation in the Super Lig, Fenerbahce’s rotation includes Youssef El-Nesyri (€20 million), Edin Dzeko (€2.7 million), and Cenk Tosun (€2 million), totaling €24.7 million.
Meanwhile, Besiktas’s striker rotation comprises Semih Kilicsoy (€12 million), Ciro Immobile (€4 million), Vincent Aboubakar (€3.4 million), and Mustafa Hekimoglu (€400,000), with a combined value of €19.8 million.
Galatasaray among Europe’s most valuable striker rotations
The reigning English Premier League champion, Manchester City, currently has one striker, Erling Haaland, considered one of the world’s best, with a market value of €180 million.
Arsenal, which finished second in the last English Premier League season, has Gabriel Jesus (€65 million) and Raheem Sterling (€35 million) in its striker rotation, valued at €100 million.
Liverpool, third in the Premier League, has Darwin Núñez (€70 million) and Diogo Jota (€50 million), with a striker rotation valued at €120 million.
In La Liga, the current champion Real Madrid boasts Kylian Mbappé (€180 million) and Endrick (€60 million), giving them a €240 million striker rotation.
Second-place Barcelona has Robert Lewandowski (€15 million) and Pau Victor (€1.5 million), with a rotation valued at €16.5 million. Girona, which finished third, has Abel Ruiz (€12 million), Bojan Miovski (€4 million), and Cristhian Stuani (€1.8 million), with a total rotation value of €17.8 million.
Serie A champions Inter have a rotation that includes Lautaro Martinez (€110 million), Marcus Thuram (€65 million), Mehdi Taremi (€10 million), and Marko Arnautović (€4 million), totaling €189 million.
Second-place Milan has Tammy Abraham (€30 million), Alvaro Morata (€16 million), and Luka Jović (€7 million), with a €53 million striker rotation.
Juventus, third in Serie A, has Dušan Vlahović (€65 million) and Arkadiusz Milik (€6 million), with a combined value of €71 million.
In Germany, Bundesliga champions Leverkusen have Viktor Boniface, valued at €40 million, and backup striker Patrik Schick, valued at €22 million, giving them a €62 million striker rotation.
Second-place Stuttgart features Deniz Undav (€25 million), El Bilal Touré (€20 million), and Wahid Faghir (€2 million), with a total value of €47 million.
Third-place Bayern Munich has a striker rotation of Harry Kane (€100 million) and Thomas Müller (€8 million), valued at €108 million.
In France, defending champions PSG have Gonçalo Ramos (€50 million) and Randal Kolo Muani (€45 million) in their rotation.
Second-place Monaco has Folarin Balogun (€30 million), Breel Embolo (€12 million), and George Ilenikhena (€10 million), with a total striker rotation value of €52 million.
Third-place Stade Brest has Mama Baldé (€4 million) and Ludovic Ajorque (€3 million), with a rotation valued at €7 million.
These figures place Galatasaray as the team with the fourth most valuable striker rotation among the top three teams from Europe’s five major leagues, following Real Madrid (€240 million), Inter (€189 million) and Manchester City (€180 million).
Given this budget and wage limits, it’s clear that Galatasaray is aiming for success in the UEFA Europa League. Failure could, however, lead to a significant financial crisis.
