Tottenham Hotspur will be bidding to maintain their perfect start in the Europa League this season when they head to the cauldron of Istanbul on Thursday to face a Galatasaray side spearheaded by loan star Victor Osimhen.
The Nigerian moved to the Turkish giants on loan in early September after being frozen out at Napoli, where former Tottenham boss Antonio Conte became coach after the Italian side put up a poor defence of their Serie A title.
Osimhen was the star of Napoli’s run to the Scudetto in 2023 and was expected to be sold in the last close season, but there were no takers for a player with a 130 million-euro ($142m) release clause.
Instead he agreed a move to Galatasaray on a season-long loan, at the end of which the Turkish champions do not have an option to sign him permanently.
While waiting to see where Osimhen’s future lies next year, for now the 25-year-old can only attempt to enjoy a successful season in Turkey, away from the limelight of Europe’s biggest leagues.
Galatasaray failed to qualify for the Champions League proper after losing over two legs to Young Boys in August, leaving them instead in the Europa League.
Osimhen has started in home wins against PAOK of Greece and Elfsborg of Sweden, while missing an away draw with RFS of Latvia due to injury.
He has not scored in European action, and Galatasaray’s leading marksman this season is Mauro Icardi, the former Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain striker who has netted six times so far.
Next come Turkish international duo Yunus Akgun and Baris Yilmaz, who both have five goals for Okan Buruk’s side.
Osimhen has four goals, all of which have come in his last three domestic league appearances, including what proved to be the winner in a home derby against Besiktas on October 28.
The manner in which he celebrated that header, tearing off his trademark protective face mask and running towards the corner flag before punching the air in delight, suggested he is already fully invested in the Galatasaray cause.
Mourinho jibe
Osimhen has also already played in an even bigger fixture, the Istanbul derby against Fenerbahce, who are now coached by Jose Mourinho.
The latter is the other big recent arrival in Turkish football, as well as another former Tottenham coach, like Conte.
Mourinho, who came up against Osimhen in Italy when he was in charge at Roma, tried to wind up the Nigerian ahead of their meeting on September 21 by accusing him of diving.
“We have a very good relationship but every time I play against him I speak with him because I don’t like the way he behaves. He dives too much,” Mourinho reportedly told Turkish media in a television interview.
Osimhen has partnered Icardi in attack, but against Fenerbahce he started up front on his own as Galatasaray won 3-1 away to their great rivals on the Asian side of the Bosphorus.
Tottenham is the next big test for Osimhen and his team, who can move above Spurs in the Europa League standings with a victory.
Galatasaray’s squad also features Dries Mertens, Michy Batshuayi and ex-Spurs defender Davinson Sanchez, and the game should be comfortably the biggest test yet for Ange Postecoglou’s side in this season’s competition.
