'The greatest' - Fenerbahce icon hails Osimhen as the best-ever striker to grace Super Lig

Retired Turkiye international Serhat Akın, who won three Super Lig titles with Fenerbahce, has declared that Victor Osimhen is the greatest striker ever to grace the Turkish top flight.

The Nigeria international enjoyed a stellar campaign last season while on loan at Galatasaray, registering 45 goal involvements in 41 appearances to inspire the Istanbul giants to a domestic double, winning both the League and Cup.

Despite interest from several of Europe's elite clubs during the summer transfer window, the former Napoli star opted to return to Galatasaray for a second spell, this time on a permanent deal.

The €75 million transfer fee agreed between Napoli and Galatasaray stands as the highest ever paid for a player in Super Lig history.

Osimhen has continued his fine form this season, netting six goals so far, including crucial strikes against Liverpool and Bodø/Glimt in the UEFA Champions League.

He also made history by becoming Galatasaray's fastest goalscorer in Champions League history, courtesy of his early goal against Bodø/Glimt.

In the same fixture, he became the first Galatasaray player to score in seven consecutive European matches.

Akın, who featured for Fenerbahçe in the early 2000s, expressed deep admiration for Osimhen's quality and impact on the pitch, noting that his all-round ability sets him apart from other top strikers who have graced the league.

In quotes relayed by habersarikirmizi, he said: "Osimhen is an extraordinary man. I think he's the greatest centre-forward to ever grace this league.

"Icardi is a pure striker, he did amazing things for two years and became top scorer.

"Icardi is a completely different player. If I were a manager, I'd be incredibly happy to have Osimhen on my team. He's my dream centre-forward."

Osimhen's exploits for club and country have earned him a nomination for the 2025 African Footballer of the Year, where he faces competition from Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi, Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy and six other contenders.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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