Cynthia Ezegwu
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has revealed that Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen was never a serious transfer target for the club, despite widespread speculation linking him with a move to Anfield.
The Reds strengthened their attacking options this summer by signing Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak, following a dip in Darwin Nunez’s form. While other English clubs, including Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United, were reportedly interested in Osimhen, Liverpool focused exclusively on Ekitike and Isak.
Asked about Osimhen during a pre-match press conference ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Galatasaray on Tuesday, Slot said:
“We always thought we were going to replace Darwin Nunez, but in the end, we had to bring in two number nines. We are always looking for very good players, but it was always clear to us from the start that we wanted to bring in these two if we needed to.”
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Osimhen, 26, rejoined Galatasaray permanently after a loan spell in the 2024/25 season, scoring 39 goals in 45 appearances for the Turkish champions. He will pose a key threat for Liverpool when the sides meet at Rams Park, although Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk has indicated that Osimhen is not fully fit after featuring for just five minutes in their weekend win over Alanyaspor.
Liverpool will likely face Osimhen for a limited period, but his presence remains central to Galatasaray’s attacking threat in the upcoming Champions League fixture.