Victor Osimhen’s sensational season at Galatasaray may have rewritten several chapters in Turkish football history, but former Senegal striker Mbaye Diagne says one key record remains untouched, Footynaija.com reports.
The Nigerian forward, on loan from Napoli, delivered a stunning campaign in Istanbul, scoring 37 goals across all competitions and providing eight assists. His 26 league goals fired Galatasaray to a memorable league and cup double, making him the top scorer in the Turkish Super Lig and the first Nigerian to claim the Golden Boot in the competition.
Osimhen’s dominance in front of goal saw him become the highest-scoring foreign player for Galatasaray in a single season and earned him cult hero status among the club’s fanbase.
Yet, for all his exploits, Diagne insists there’s still one benchmark the Nigerian has yet to reach – the all-time single-season scoring record for a foreigner in the Turkish Super Lig.
That honour still belongs to the Senegalese striker, who netted 30 goals in just 29 league games during the 2018–19 campaign.
“I really enjoy watching Osimhen, who is African like me, at Galatasaray,” Diagne told BeinSports. “When he scores goals, I am happy. He scores a lot of goals, but don’t forget that the record for the most goals scored by a foreign player in a season in the Super League (30 goals) is still with me.”
Despite Osimhen falling just four goals short of Diagne’s milestone, his performance has sparked a scramble for his signature. Galatasaray are keen to make his stay permanent, though they face stiff competition from European giants including Manchester United, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Juventus, and PSG.
The 26-year-old has already turned down multiple lucrative offers from Saudi side Al-Hilal, with reports suggesting he remains focused on staying in Europe.
Former Galatasaray man Ndiaye believes both club and player are on the same page:
“Osimhen is a very high-quality player. I don’t know if he will stay at Galatasaray or not, but I don’t think Galatasaray wants to leave Osimhen, nor does Osimhen want to leave Galatasaray. Galatasaray deserves Osimhen, and Osimhen deserves Galatasaray.”
Osimhen is currently enjoying a break in Nigeria and will rejoin Napoli for preseason if no deal is sealed before then.