Galatasaray are looking to strengthen their squad for the second half of the ongoing football seasonThe Turkish outfit is exploring the possibility of signing a new defender and has shifted focus to Ola AinaThe Super Eagles of Nigeria star is also attracting interest from the defending English Premier League champions, Manchester City
Galatasaray appears to have developed a strong affinity for Nigerian players, especially following the summer acquisition of Victor Osimhen from Napoli.
The Turkish giants, currently leading the Super Lig standings, owe much of their remarkable form this season to the prolific goalscoring of the Napoli loanee.
Ola Aina during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest at Molineux on January 06, 2025. Image: Marc Atkins.
Source: Getty Images
Osimhen has been directly involved in 17 goals across his 16 appearances for the Istanbul club, according to data from FotMob.
This outstanding contribution appears to have further fueled Galatasaray’s interest in Nigerian talent and the latest player reportedly on their radar is Nottingham Forest star, Ola Aina.
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Galatasaray interested in signing Ola Aina
According to a report from the media outlet, Skor Spor, Galatasaray has expressed interest in signing the 28-year-old defender once his current contract expires.
The versatile full-back, who has been in impressive form this season, continues to attract significant transfer interest from several top European clubs, including Premier League giants, Manchester City.
Aina who is now in the final six months of his contract with Nottingham Forest, has yet to agree on a new deal, signalling a potential move as clubs monitor his situation closely.
The report suggests that Galatasaray plans to leverage Aina’s relationship with Osimhen as a key factor in persuading him to join the Turkish side.
It further notes that the former Chelsea defender is reportedly open to a move to Istanbul, with negotiations seemingly on track.
However, the deal may depend on Galatasaray clearing space in their squad by offloading some of their current full-backs. Elias Jelert, for instance, has been consistently linked with a departure from the club, which could facilitate Aina’s arrival.
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While a transfer for Aina appears plausible, the growing interest in the defender could complicate matters. Additionally, Galatasaray faces the challenge of securing a permanent deal for Osimhen, whose loan spell ends in the summer of 2025.
Whether the Istanbul outfit can finalise a deal for Aina remains to be seen as competition for his signature intensifies.
Conte explains why Osimhen exited Napoli
Henzodaily.ng in another report detailed Antonio Conte’s comments about the situation surrounding Osimhen’s exit from Napoli.
The Nigerian striker was largely forced out of the Italian outfit, as he was ostracised from the first-team setup after making it clear he wanted a transfer.
The 26-year-old, who had a season earlier led Napoli to their first Scudetto crown since 1990, was attracting significant interest from several clubs across Europe.
However, Napoli’s failure to reach an agreement with any of the interested clubs led to the Nigerian striker completing a loan move to Galatasaray at the tail end of the summer transfer window.
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Source: Henzodaily.ng