On a season-long loan from Napoli, Victor Osimhen has been nothing short of sensational for Galatasaray, racking up goals at a rate rarely seen in Turkish football.
But Osimhen isn’t breaking new ground — he’s simply continuing a proud legacy. For decades, Galatasaray has been home to some of Africa’s finest footballers.
So where does the Nigerian striker rank among the club’s all-time top-scoring African stars?
Soccernet.ng dove into the record books to find out.
10. Aurélien Chedjou (Cameroon) – 12 goals
Just making the cut is Cameroon’s Aurélien Chedjou, a no-nonsense centre-back who scored 12 goals in 119 appearances across all competitions.
A former Cameroon international and Lille ace, Chedjou will fondly remember his Galatasaray spell where he won seven major honours — including the 2015 Süper Lig title.
9. Garry Rodrigues (Cape Verde) – 16 goals
Born in Rotterdam, Garry Rodrigues started out in Dutch football before spells in Bulgaria, Spain, and Greece. Galatasaray signed the tricky winger from PAOK for €3.7 million in January 2017, and he immediately made an impact.
Rodrigues played a key role in the club’s 2018 Süper Lig title win and earned a place in the league’s Team of the Season. Despite his primary role being a creator, he still scored 16 goals — 13 of them in the league.
8. Mostafa Mohamed (Egypt) – 17 goals
Egyptian striker Mostafa Mohamed joined Galatasaray on loan in 2021 after a breakout spell at Zamalek. He later made the move permanent before leaving for Nantes.
In his time in Turkey, Mohamed netted 17 goals in 57 matches, making a strong impression in his first European stint.
7. Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) – 20 goals
One of Africa’s all-time greats, Didier Drogba arrived at Galatasaray in 2013 after his legendary stints at Marseille and Chelsea.
Though his stay lasted just a year, Drogba delivered 20 goals in 53 games and helped Galatasaray to a trio of trophies, including the Süper Lig title. A short spell, but undeniably effective.
6. Younès Belhanda (Morocco) – 22 goals
France-born Moroccan playmaker Younès Belhanda joined Galatasaray in 2017, taking over the No. 10 shirt left by Wesley Sneijder.
A treble winner in 2019, Belhanda brought flair and goals from midfield, scoring 22 times before leaving in 2021.
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5. Henry Onyekuru (Nigeria) – 22 goals
Few players are as adored by Galatasaray fans as Henry Onyekuru. The Nigerian forward had three separate loan spells — first from Everton, then twice from Monaco — and made each count.
With 22 goals in 71 games, including crucial strikes during the 2018/19 title-winning season, Onyekuru is Galatasaray’s most successful Nigerian signing.
4. Mbaye Diagne (Senegal) – 26 goals
Mbaye Diagne’s career included stops in Italy, Belgium, Hungary, and China before he exploded at Turkish side Kasimpasa.
Galatasaray snapped him up for €10 million in January 2019, and he promptly delivered — scoring goals for fun and playing a key role in the club’s league, cup, and Super Cup treble that year.
3. Victor Osimhen (Nigeria) – 28 goals (and counting)
Victor Osimhen’s shock loan move to Galatasaray came just hours after a proposed transfer to Chelsea collapsed.
The Nigerian forward didn’t waste time sulking — instead, he boarded a flight to Istanbul and instantly connected with Galatasaray’s passionate fanbase.
Since then, he’s been unstoppable. Osimhen has scored 28 goals in just 32 games across all competitions. With several fixtures remaining in the league and Turkish Cup, he could yet finish his stint with a trophy double.
He’s already the club’s highest-scoring Nigerian and third-highest African scorer of all time.
A return to elite European football awaits the 26-year-old — but first, there’s business to finish in Istanbul.
2. Sofiane Feghouli (Algeria) – 34 goals
An AFCON winner with Algeria in 2019, Sofiane Feghouli enjoyed his most productive club years at Galatasaray following spells at Valencia and West Ham.
Between 2017 and 2022, he scored 34 goals in 162 games and won four major trophies, including back-to-back league titles in 2018 and 2019.
1. Shabani Nonda (DR Congo) – 37 goals
Shabani Nonda’s story is one of persistence and excellence. Born in Burundi and raised across East Africa, Nonda rose to prominence in Europe with Rennes and Monaco before later spells at Roma and Blackburn Rovers.
He joined Galatasaray in the twilight of his career but still produced 37 goals in 93 matches. His strikes helped deliver the 2008 Süper Lig and Turkish Super Cup titles, and he remains Galatasaray’s highest-scoring African player of all time.
Galatasaray’s top 10 African goalscorers (All competitions)
- Shabani Nonda (DR Congo) – 37 goals in 93 games
- Sofiane Feghouli (Algeria) – 34 goals in 162 games
- Victor Osimhen (Nigeria) – 28 goals in 32 games
- Mbaye Diagne (Senegal) – 26 goals in 62 games
- Henry Onyekuru (Nigeria) – 22 goals in 71 games
- Younès Belhanda (Morocco) – 22 goals in 131 games
- Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) – 20 goals in 53 games
- Mostafa Mohamed (Egypt) – 17 goals in 58 games
- Garry Rodrigues (Cape Verde) – 16 goals in 78 games
- Aurélien Chedjou (Cameroon) – 12 goals in 119 games
