Victor Osimhen is one of Nigeria’s greatest modern footballers and among the most prolific African strikers of his generation.
Renowned for his explosive pace, physical strength, aerial ability, relentless pressing and clinical finishing, the Lagos-born forward has developed from a promising youth international into a Serie A champion and one of the most recognisable attacking stars in European and Turkish football.
Currently, Osimhen plays for Turkish Süper Lig giants Galatasaray, having completed a permanent transfer from Napoli in July 2025 following a sensational loan spell in Istanbul. Galatasaray paid a reported €75 million for his services, making the move one of the most expensive transfers in Turkish football history. He signed a four-year contract running until June 30, 2029, underlining the club’s commitment to building its attack around the Nigerian striker.
At international level, Osimhen is one of the leading figures in the Nigeria national team. He has scored 35 senior international goals, putting him within two goals of Rashidi Yekini’s Nigerian record of 37. Despite his prolific scoring during the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, Nigeria failed to reach the tournament after losing to DR Congo in a playoff shootout in November 2025.
Salary
Following his permanent move to Galatasaray, Osimhen became one of the highest-paid footballers in Turkish football. According to the club’s official announcement, his contract provides a net guaranteed annual salary of €15 million, alongside a €1 million net loyalty bonus and €5 million per season in image-rights payments.
These terms make him one of the most financially valuable players in Galatasaray’s squad and reflect the club’s determination to retain a striker who delivered an outstanding debut season in Istanbul. The agreement runs until June 30, 2029.
Capology separately estimates Osimhen’s gross fixed salary for the 2026/27 season at €18.75 million annually, excluding bonuses. This is an estimate and should not be confused with the €15 million net salary disclosed by Galatasaray.
| Salary Period | Guaranteed Base Salary |
|---|---|
| Annual Salary | €15,000,000 net |
| Monthly Salary | €1,250,000 net |
| Weekly Salary | Approximately €288,462 net |
| Daily Salary | Approximately €41,096 net |
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Market Value
According to Transfermarkt’s October 2026 update, the 27-year-old striker has a current market value of €65 million. Although this represents a €10 million decrease from his May 2026 valuation of €75 million, Osimhen remains one of the most valuable players in the Süper Lig and Nigeria’s leading footballers by market valuation.
His valuation rose dramatically during his time at Napoli, reaching a career peak of €120 million in June 2023. That assessment reflected his exceptional goalscoring season, during which he helped Napoli win their first Serie A title in 33 years and finished as the league’s leading scorer.
| Date | Market Value | Age | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07.02.2017 | €1,000,000 | 18 | VfL Wolfsburg |
| 06.10.2019 | €13,000,000 | 20 | Charleroi |
| 12.19.2019 | €30,000,000 | 20 | Lille |
| 10.29.2020 | €50,000,000 | 21 | Napoli |
| 06.07.2022 | €65,000,000 | 23 | Napoli |
| 03.21.2023 | €100,000,000 | 24 | Napoli |
| 06.15.2023 | €120,000,000 | 24 | Napoli |
| 06.05.2024 | €100,000,000 | 25 | Napoli |
| 10.04.2024 | €75,000,000 | 25 | Galatasaray |
| 05.21.2026 | €75,000,000 | 27 | Galatasaray |
| 10.01.2026 | €65,000,000 | 27 | Galatasaray |
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Career
Victor Osimhen’s rise is one of the most remarkable success stories in Nigerian football, taking him from grassroots football in Lagos to winning major domestic honours in Italy and Turkey.
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Ultimate Strikers & VfL Wolfsburg (2010–2018): Osimhen began playing football with Ultimate Strikers in Lagos before attracting international attention with Nigeria’s youth teams. His outstanding performances at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, where he scored 10 goals and won the Golden Boot, helped him earn a move to German side VfL Wolfsburg in 2017. However, he struggled to establish himself in the first team and was subsequently loaned to Belgium.
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Charleroi & Lille (2018–2020): Osimhen found his breakthrough at Belgian club Charleroi, scoring 20 goals in 36 appearances during his loan spell. His performances earned him a permanent move to French side Lille in 2019. He made an immediate impact in Ligue 1, recording 18 goals and six assists in his first season across 38 appearances in all competitions, attracting interest from several major European clubs.
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Napoli (2020–2024): Napoli signed Osimhen in 2020 in a deal reported at approximately €70–77.5 million, making him one of the most expensive African footballers at the time. After an initial period disrupted by injuries, he developed into one of Europe’s most dangerous centre-forwards. His defining achievement came in the 2022/23 season, when he scored 26 Serie A goals to become the league’s top scorer and helped Napoli secure their first Italian championship since 1990. He was also named African Footballer of the Year in 2023.
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Galatasaray (2024–Present): Osimhen initially joined Galatasaray on loan in September 2024 and produced one of the finest seasons of his career. He scored 37 goals and supplied eight assists in 41 appearances across all competitions, including 26 goals in the Süper Lig, finishing as the league’s top scorer. He also helped Galatasaray win the Turkish league and cup double in 2024/25. The club subsequently completed his permanent transfer from Napoli for €75 million in July 2025. During the 2025/26 campaign, he recorded 22 goals and eight assists in 33 official matches as Galatasaray won another league title.
Accolades & Highlights
Osimhen enters the 2026/27 season as one of Africa’s most accomplished strikers and one of the leading centre-forwards in European and Turkish football.
His individual honours include the 2023 African Footballer of the Year award, the Serie A Golden Boot for the 2022/23 season and the Süper Lig Golden Boot for 2024/25. His 26 league goals in Italy helped Napoli end a 33-year wait for the Italian championship, while his 37-goal debut season at Galatasaray established a new personal record for goals in a single campaign.
Osimhen’s achievements at youth level also remain a major part of his story. His 10 goals at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup helped Nigeria win the tournament and earned him the Golden Boot, marking the beginning of an international career that would eventually make him one of the country’s most prolific senior forwards.
During the opening months of the 2026/27 season, Osimhen has continued to deliver for Galatasaray. By October 23, he had scored six goals and provided three assists in six Süper Lig appearances, while also scoring in the UEFA Champions League against Lille. Those performances have reinforced his importance to the Turkish champions despite the recent reduction in his market valuation.
For Nigeria, Osimhen remains a central figure and one of the most important players of his generation. Although the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, his international goalscoring record puts him within reach of Yekini’s long-standing national record. As he continues his career at Galatasaray, Osimhen remains determined to add further silverware to his collection and strengthen his legacy as one of Africa’s finest strikers.
