Koulibaly Reveals Why Victor Osimhen Rejected Al-Hilal Move for Galatasaray
Story: written by springnewsng September 5,2025
Al-Hilal defender Kalidou Koulibaly has opened up on his private conversation with Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen, explaining why the Super Eagles star rejected a move to Saudi Arabia despite interest from the Riyadh-based club.
Koulibaly and Osimhen were teammates at Napoli, where they both played key roles before moving on to different leagues. Osimhen, who spent last season on loan at Galatasaray, made his switch permanent this summer despite several links to Al-Hilal.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Koulibaly revealed that he tried to convince Osimhen about the benefits of joining the Saudi Pro League.
“I tried to explain to Osimhen that the perception of football in Saudi Arabia was wrong. I told him about the reality here, saying our tournament is often judged from a limited perspective. There are many top players here, starting with Cristiano Ronaldo,” Koulibaly said.
However, Osimhen explained that he had already settled in Istanbul, where both he and his family felt welcomed.
“Osimhen told me that Istanbul embraced him and his family with great enthusiasm and that Galatasaray has big ambitions. He made his decision, and I respect it. I wish him the best,” Koulibaly added.
The Nigerian striker has since committed his future to Galatasaray, where he hopes to continue building on his reputation as one of Europe’s most prolific forwards.
