By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has turned down the chance to wear Galatasaray’s prestigious number nine shirt, opting instead to stick with the number 45 jersey that has defined his rise at the Turkish champions.
The Nigerian forward, who joined Galatasaray on a permanent deal last summer following a successful loan spell, was widely expected to inherit the number nine, a shirt associated with the club’s top attacking players and previously linked with Mauro Icardi.
He has quickly become one of the club’s most important players, earning admiration from supporters and cementing his place as a key figure at Rams Park.
Explaining his decision, Osimhen said the number 45 had brought him good fortune since his arrival and that he preferred to continue with the shirt that had served him well, even though switching to the number nine could boost merchandise sales for the club.
According to Sabah Spor, a Turkish sports news platform, on its X handle on Thursday, Osimhen said: “I believe you will sell more shirts, but I think you will understand my perspective. The number 45 has been lucky for me at Galatasaray. I want to continue with the same number.”
Since his permanent transfer from Napoli, Osimhen has established himself as a fan favourite, delivering important goals and strong performances for the Yellow-Reds.
He recently opened his preseason goal account during Galatasaray’s 3-3 draw against Rennes in Istanbul, as the club continues preparations for the new campaign.
Osimhen will now aim to maintain his impressive form as Galatasaray look to defend their domestic success and compete strongly in the season ahead.
