Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk made it clear that his squad is counting the days until Victor Osimhen arrives to lead the front line, www.isagoal.com reports.
Speaking after his side’s 3-1 preseason win over Cagliari, Buruk told Nefes he’s eager to build around Osimhen once the transfer from Napoli is finalized.
“I’ve used Barış as a striker today—he’s been out wide for a while, but we had to adapt,” Buruk said post-match.
“We still don’t know who our starting striker will be when the season kicks off,” he added, “but we want Victor Osimhen here as fast as possible.”
Osimhen delivered an explosive campaign during his loan last season, contributing over 40 goals and assists while helping Galatasaray secure the league and cup titles.
Despite interest from Saudi side Al-Hilal and links to bigger European clubs, only Galatasaray have made consistent efforts to bring him back.
The striker is reportedly pushing for a permanent move to Istanbul, with Napoli and Galatasaray now finalizing the details of the transfer.
Galatasaray are keeping up momentum in preseason with three wins, including their most recent victory over Cagliari with goals from Sallai, Yılmaz, and Ünyay.
With Osimhen missing, Buruk has tried several formations, including playing natural winger Barış down the middle as a short-term fix.
Next up for the Turkish champions is a clash against Strasbourg on Saturday, July 26, though Osimhen is unlikely to be available for that fixture.
The transfer is nearly wrapped, and supporters are optimistic they’ll soon see Osimhen back at the Nef Stadium wearing Galatasaray colors.
This article was updated 4 weeks ago