Turkish champions Galatasaray are using Victor Osimhen to persuade Ademola Lookman to join from Atalanta in the January window. The move highlights Turkey's growing ambition in European football amid Lookman's struggles in Italy. Osimhen, thriving in Istanbul, sees a partnership with Lookman boosting Galatasaray's Champions League prospects.
Galatasaray, the Turkish champions, have turned to their star striker Victor Osimhen to help secure the signature of Ademola Lookman, a key target for the January transfer window, according to reports from dailysabah.com. What started as autumn rumors has become one of Europe's most watched pre-window stories, testing the limits of Turkish football's financial growth.
Lookman, the London-born Nigerian who rose to prominence at Atalanta, is currently unsettled and underperforming. After a breakout 2023-24 season with 17 goals and 10 assists, including a hat-trick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen that won Atalanta their first European trophy, his form has dipped sharply. By November 2025, he has scored just once in 11 matches. Tensions with coach Gian Piero Gasperini, a failed summer transfer request to Inter Milan—where he briefly refused to train—and rejected bids from clubs like Bayern Munich and inquiries from Tottenham have left his relationship with Atalanta “irreparable,” as described by his camp.
Galatasaray have offered Lookman a package worth around nine million euros net per year, which he has verbally accepted. However, Atalanta's 50 million euro release clause stands firm, with no intention to negotiate, mirroring their stances on past sales like Teun Koopmeiners and Rasmus Hojlund. Club executives plan meetings with Atalanta soon, hoping Lookman's slump eases talks, though coach Okan Buruk remains cautious about adaptation in the Süper Lig.
Osimhen, who has nine goals in 12 games for Galatasaray, has been “relentless” in his efforts, per La Gazzetta dello Sport, persuading Lookman during Nigeria national-team camps and private calls. He views Istanbul as a revival spot, away from Atalanta's rigid system, and believes a Lookman partnership could propel Galatasaray to Champions League knockouts. With Chelsea's interest in Osimhen blocked by wages and their recent signings, the Nigerian forward is committed to the club, enhancing his influence.
Lookman's versatility—playing left, right, or behind the striker—fits Galatasaray's high-tempo style, akin to successful integrations of Mauro Icardi and Osimhen. Despite financial strains from Osimhen's salary and squad spending, the club sees this as a strategic investment, potentially requiring player sales or add-ons to meet the valuation.