Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk has admitted that the signing of Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen this summer has significantly impacted their finances, Soccernet.ng reports.
Osimhen joined Galatasaray from Napoli during the last summer transfer window, following a long-drawn transfer tussle.
The transfer was the biggest in the history of Turkish football, as no club had ever paid more than €30 million for a player.
They also placed him on the biggest salary package in the history of Turkish football. In total, the deal (transfer fee plus salary) is expected to cost Galatasaray up to €150 million.
For a club like Galatasaray, this is not just big money; it is extravagant. The Turkish Super Lig is not known to be a money spinner, so they needed to break the bank and more to make the transfer happen.
Victor Osimhen Burden Revealed As Okan Buruk Battles Downtrend At Galatasaray
Galatasaray have been struggling in recent weeks. The Turkish champions have lost three of their last six games across all competitions.
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One of those losses came in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday against AS Monaco at Stade Louis II.
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These losses have occurred at a time when Galatasaray are dealing with several injury problems.
Key players like Wilfried Singo, Mario Lemina, and Kaan Ayhan have been sidelined with various injuries. Coach Buruk has occasionally even had to use academy products to fill the squad.
After their loss to Monaco, Okan Buruk was asked about their plans for reinforcements in the summer.
He admitted that the Victor Osimhen deal has severely strained their finances, but stated they will find options in January.
“There are no defenders left on the reserve bench. If someone got injured, there would be no solution,” Buruk said, per Sport News.
“We are going through a difficult period, and we have not been able to get the desired results from some players.
“There are salary budget restrictions from both the TFF and UEFA for transfers. We bought Osimhen for 75 million euros, and his salary is also a huge burden.
“We brought in important players like Sane, İlkay, Singo, but no one could have foreseen this scenario.
“After the November break, it became difficult to fill the reserve bench. The responsibility is mine. We will make a correct plan in the winter transfer window. If we continue in the Champions League, we will prepare accordingly,” Buruk added.
Meanwhile, Osimhen, who was brought in to be Galatasaray's talisman, has been very good since joining the club.
Injuries have slowed him down, as he has had to deal with a handful of setbacks this season. He will be looking to pick up the pace and start scoring goals aplenty for Galatasaray.
The club apparently believe in Osimhen. So he will be hoping to deliver for them consistently.
