Galatasaray have rejected a bid of €125 million for Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen, reaffirming their determination to hold onto the Nigerian forward despite mounting pressure from European clubs ahead of the summer transfer window.

The offer, reported by Forza Cimbom, was immediately turned down by the Turkish champions, who have also previously rebuffed a €120 million proposal from Atletico Madrid.

Manchester United, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid all remain in pursuit of the 27-year-old, but Galatasaray have made clear that no offer below their asking price will be entertained.

It is a valuation that the Istanbul club feel is justified by Osimhen’s extraordinary output since arriving in Turkey.

The former Napoli striker has scored 59 goals in 74 appearances for Galatasaray, including 15 league goals and five assists in 22 matches this season, as well as seven goals and three assists in 10 UEFA Champions League appearances before the club’s elimination by Liverpool in the round of 16.

The club’s resolve to keep Osimhen has been further stiffened by the expected departure of Argentine forward Mauro Icardi, whose contract expires at the end of June. Losing both forwards in the same window would leave Galatasaray dangerously thin in attack as they look to maintain their dominance in the Turkish Süper Lig and make a stronger impression in Europe next season.

Previously reported that Galatasaray are prepared to offer Osimhen both the captain’s armband and the iconic No. 9 jersey currently occupied by Icardi as part of a retention strategy designed to give the Nigerian a deeper emotional and symbolic investment in the club’s future.

Club officials are said to believe that such gestures of leadership and identity may not be immediately available to Osimhen at clubs like United, Arsenal or Chelsea, where established dressing-room hierarchies already exist.

Osimhen himself has repeatedly spoken warmly of his time in Istanbul and expressed a desire to remain at the club, though the sustained interest from some of European football’s heaviest spenders ensures his future will remain a subject of speculation for the duration of the window.

Former Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo, has credited Argentine football scout, Marcelo Houseman, with playing a key role in launching his professional football career.

Ighalo said that Houseman discovered him and fellow Nigerian footballer Kim Ojo and created opportunities that exposed them to European football.

“Houseman discovered Kim Ojo and me in Nigeria and took us to Hertha Berlin in Germany for trials when we were still unknown players,” he said.

According to Ighalo, Houseman’s support went beyond talent identification, as he invested his time, resources and personal commitment in developing young players.

“Hertha Berlin wanted only me, but Houseman stood by both of us. He believed we deserved equal opportunities and rejected offers he considered inadequate,” he said.

The former Nigeria international said Houseman subsequently took them on a two-month tour of European clubs, including Sporting Lisbon of Portugal and RCD Espanyol of Spain.

“Although those moves did not materialise, Houseman never gave up. He introduced us to another trusted agent who arranged trials in Oslo, Norway,” he said.

Ighalo said Houseman also provided financial assistance that supported both players and their families during difficult periods.

“He gave us money that helped our families greatly. I passed the trials in Norway, signed a pre-contract, and the rest became a 19-year professional career,” he said.

He described Houseman as a mentor whose vision and sacrifices contributed significantly to the development of many African footballers.

“Without Houseman, my football story could have been different.

“He saw potential in me before many others did and opened doors that changed my life,” Ighalo said.

Ighalo began his professional career with Nigerian clubs Prime FC and Julius Berger before joining Norwegian side Lyn in 2007.

He moved to Italian club Udinese in 2008 and enjoyed successful loan spells with Spanish side Granada, where he established himself in European football.

In 2014, he signed for Watford and played a pivotal role in the club’s promotion to the English Premier League.

Ighalo later featured for Changchun Yatai and Shanghai Shenhua in China before joining Manchester United on loan in 2020.

He made his debut for the Super Eagles in 2015 and represented Nigeria at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The striker emerged as the top scorer at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, helping Nigeria secure a third-place finish.

Ighalo currently plays for Al Wehda FC in Saudi Arabia, bringing to bear experience gained from successful spells across Europe, Asia and international football.

Two nations, four points, one crazy World Cup day.

There may be about 5,000 miles between the Netherlands and their former colony Curacao but the World Cup meant members of the Dutch royal family managed to see both sides play on Saturday.

King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima and Princess Ariane of the Netherlands were in Houston for a noon kick-off and saw the Dutch side power to an impressive 5-1 win over Sweden.

A mere 800-mile trip north to Kansas City later and the royals were able to see Curacao claim their first ever World Cup point against Ecuador.

All but one of the Curacao squad was born in the Netherlands, with the royal party ending the day celebrating with the players in the dressing room.

“It is an extra-special World Cup because we have both the Netherlands and Curacao,” Willem-Alexander said.

“So we have twice as many teams to cheer for. It’s a great opportunity to cheer on both the Blues and the Oranges.

“All in all, it will be a special World Cup for me with two teams, and I naturally hope they go extremely far.”

Queen Maxima is from Argentina and could squeeze in the holders’ match against Austria if she pops to Arlington, Texas on Monday.

Curacao is smaller than the Isle of Man with a population of 158,000 and remains part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

During the 17th Century the Netherlands conquered large swathes of territory in regions that now make up Indonesia, South Africa, Curacao and West Papua.

Thousands of people were trafficked from Africa to Dutch colonies in the Caribbean and South America – amounting to about 5% of the entire transatlantic slave trade – before the practice was banned in 1863.

King Willem-Alexander formally apologised for his country’s role in the slave trade in 2023, saying he felt “personally and intensely” affected.