Galatasaray striker Mauro Icardi is relishing the opportunity of playing alongside Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen at the club this season.
Osimhen enjoyed an impressive loan spell at the Turkish club last season on loan at the Turkish club, before completing a permanent switch worth up to €75 million this summer.
Despite arriving at the Lions last summer, Osimhen’s time on the pitch with Icardi was short lived after the Argentine striker suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament tear in November, ruling him out of the entire campaign.
Osimhen went on to score 26 goals in the Turkish league to claim the golden boot and lead Galatasaray to a successful title defense.
“Unfortunately, last year, there were only a few matches where we could be on the pitch at the same time as Victor. Those were some very enjoyable moments,” Icardi said to Galatasaray’s official website.
“However, we didn’t get to enjoy the entire year. But the most important thing was always to win the championship and the trophy. We want to continue this year.”
Icardi recently returned to training after a lengthy layoff and has been named captain of the club by head coach Okan Buruk, following the departure of Fernando Muslera.
Both players missed Galatasaray’s 3-0 opening day win over Gaziantep, but will be optimistic of forming a formidable partnership into the season.
“Besides Victor and I, there are many players who have been performing very well in training and want to get playing time.”, Icardi continued.
“We will win together. We will all win together. Also, Victor was the top scorer last season. We will play together again this year. It will be a lot of fun,” he added.
Galatasaray host Faith Karagumruk in their second league match on Friday, hoping for consecutive victories as they continue their title defense.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
