Galatasaray fans are set to witness one of Europe’s most exciting attacking partnerships this season as Mauro Icardi and Victor Osimhen prepare to finally lead the line together, Footynaija.com reports.
The Turkish champions confirmed Osimhen’s permanent signing from Napoli after a sensational loan spell that saw him fire 37 goals and register eight assists in all competitions last season. The Nigerian star swept individual honours, winning the Golden Boot, Player of the Season, and Goal of the Season awards.
Icardi, who has been at Galatasaray since 2022, first on loan from Paris Saint-Germain before making the move permanent, has already played a crucial role in the club’s recent dominance. His goals helped secure back-to-back Süper Lig titles and Turkish Super Cup wins.
Last season, hopes of a lethal Osimhen-Icardi pairing were dashed when the Argentine suffered an injury just weeks into their partnership. While Icardi was sidelined, Osimhen almost singlehandedly propelled Galatasaray to a historic league and cup double.
Now, with both forwards fit and available, the club is aiming to unleash them not only in the domestic league but also on the grand stage of the UEFA Champions League.
Speaking to the press as per NTV, Icardi expressed his excitement:
“Unfortunately, we (Osimhen and I) played very few matches together last year. The most important thing was to win the championship. There are many players, even better than Victor and I, who are performing well in training and fighting for minutes. Victor was top scorer last year, and we’ll be playing together this year, and we’re sure to have a lot of fun.”
Osimhen, previously courted by Arsenal, Manchester United and Barcelona, is the reigning best player and most expensive footballer in Turkish football.