OGUN, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-Galatasaray’s quest for European dominance has come with a staggering price tag.
Manager Okan Buruk recently acknowledged that the financial “burden” of Victor Osimhen’s contract has fundamentally shifted the club’s transfer strategy.
According to Buruk, the capital allocated for the Super Eagles star’s wages could have “put together a full team,” highlighting the trade-off between securing a world-class talent and maintaining a deep roster.
Osimhen ended his five-year time at Napoli when Galatasaray paid his €75 million clause to the Italian side.
The 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup winner earns a guaranteed annual salary of €15 million along with a net loyalty bonus of €1 million per season and €5 million per year in image rights.
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He signed a four-year contract with the total cost for Galatasaray to bring him back to Istanbul at about €159 million over the length of the agreement.
Speaking after Galatasaray’s 3-1 win over Istanbulspor in the Turkish Cup, Buruk highlighted the consistent rise in the club’s spending on fees and salaries over the past year’s financial discipline.
He told the club’s official website: “Galatasaray’s transfer fees and salaries have been going up since last year.
“With Osimhen’s transfer fee and salary, you could probably put together a full team.
“We need to take these things into account.
“We brought in some very important players for the team, such as Singo, Uğurcan, Sané, and İlkay.
“Every team has a budget, and when you set up budgets at the start of the season, you need to follow that budget closely.”