- Victor Osimhen's agent, Roberto Calenda, has been blamed by former Chelsea star Joe Cole for the striker’s missed Premier League move
- Despite interest from Chelsea, Saudi Al-Ahli, and rumoured talks with PSG, Osimhen ended up with Galatasaray, leaving many questioning his agent’s choices
- Since his arrival, Osimhen has excelled at Galatasaray and amassed a cult-like following from fans
Former Chelsea star Joe Cole has recently turned a critical eye toward Victor Osimhen’s ex-agent, Roberto Calenda, holding him accountable for the striker's missed opportunity to join a top European club in the summer transfer window.
Despite significant interest from Premier League side Chelsea and Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli, as well as rumoured connections with Paris Saint-Germain, the Nigerian forward ultimately made a surprising move to Turkish champions Galatasaray rather than one of Europe’s elite clubs.
Joe Cole, who played alongside Nigerian star Mikel Obi at Chelsea, expressed his frustration, stating on TNT Sports,
“There's so many big clubs calling out for a striker. I blame Victor Osimhen's agent as he shouldn't be at Galatasaray, he should be at a top club in Europe.”
Osimhen's situation with Napoli reached a boiling point after the forward submitted a transfer request. Although Napoli manager Antonio Conte encouraged him to stay, Osimhen remained determined to leave. Last December, he had signed a lucrative new deal with Napoli, including a €130 million release clause for foreign clubs, but the window closed without a satisfactory offer. Chelsea reportedly proposed a deal involving Romelu Lukaku as a potential exchange, but the agreement never materialised.
Since arriving at Galatasaray, Osimhen has been on fire, with ten goal involvements (six goals and four assists) in just eight games. His sensational performance in Galatasaray’s Europa League clash against Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur has also increased his reputation.
Turkish football expert Zeki Uzundurukan even described Osimhen as “the greatest football painter I have ever seen.” After his brace against Spurs, Uzundurukan praised Osimhen’s extraordinary goal-scoring instincts, especially his second goal, which saw him deftly position himself in mid-air to connect with Mertens' cross.
“Osimhen has such a goal software in his brain… The software is activated before the ball even reaches him,” Uzundurukan remarked via a tweet.
The 25-year-old’s journey from Napoli to Galatasaray may not met fans' expectations, but his performances continue to fuel a likelihood of a potential return to one of Europe’s top leagues.
Osimhen becomes most-followed Nigerian footballer on IG, here are the 9 most followed after him
Previously, TheRadar reported that Osimhen’s growing social media presence can be attributed to his electrifying performances for his new club, especially his assist run in his last three games.
After his record-setting loan move to Galatasaray, Osimhen’s follower count surged dramatically, proving his growing popularity among fans around the world. Within two weeks of the transfer, the 25-year-old saw his Instagram followers increase by 848,000, making him Nigeria’s leading most-followed personality in football.
