•Victor Osimhen
Victor Osimhen continued his blistering start to the new Süper Lig season, scoring twice and providing an assist as defending champions Galatasaray thrashed newly promoted Erzurumspor FK 4-0 in their second-week fixture at the Kazım Karabekir Stadium yesterday, further cementing his status as one of the most consistent forwards on the continent.
Roland Sallai opened the scoring in the twelfth minute before Osimhen turned provider eight minutes later, teeing up Yunus Akgün to double Galatasaray’s advantage, reports Saturday PUNCH.
The Super Eagles striker then got on the scoresheet himself right on the stroke of half-time, netting in first-half stoppage time to put the visitors three goals to the good at the break, before adding his second of the night in the 80th minute to complete his brace and put the result beyond any doubt.
With two goals and an assist against Erzurumspor, Osimhen has now directly contributed to at least one goal in each of his last fourteen league matches for Galatasaray, a remarkable run in which he has scored sixteen goals and provided six assists, directly influencing a total of 21 goals in that period. The Nigerian’s performance placed him at the top of the statistics for the match, underlining a spell of form that has seen him shine both as a goalscorer and as a creator for his teammates.
The 27-year-old has now been directly involved in goals in successive matches, having scored twice in Galatasaray’s opening-day 2-2 draw with fellow newly promoted side Çorum at RAMS Park last week, where his brace rescued a point after the champions squandered a lead following Alexandros Kyziridis’ red card for the visitors.
Osimhen’s continued goal involvement in Turkey has not gone unnoticed in the Premier League. Arsenal have opened talks with Galatasaray over a move for the striker, according to French outlet Foot Mercato, with the English champions keen on a reliable finisher to compete with Viktor Gyokeres and offer Mikel Arteta more attacking options.
Osimhen contributed 30 goal involvements for Galatasaray last season, form that has made him a firm favourite of the Arsenal manager, and his early-season displays for the Turkish champions appear only to be strengthening that interest.
Negotiations remain at an early stage, however, with the two parties still some distance apart on personal terms. Osimhen currently earns a net annual salary of €20m at Galatasaray and is under contract until 2029, wages Arsenal are unlikely to match unless the Nigerian is willing to accept a pay cut to force through a move to the Premier League.
