Hull City owner Acun Ilıcalı has described Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen as the best foreign player currently playing in the Turkish Süper Lig, while admitting that signing the Nigerian for an English club is now almost impossible because of the financial power of Turkey’s biggest teams.
The Turkish businessman, who previously served as Fenerbahçe vice-president, made the remarks during an interview with Transfermarkt via Haberler while discussing the rapid rise in the quality of the Turkish top flight.
Although Ilıcalı now owns Hull City, the Championship side are not expected to enter the race for Osimhen, whose name continues to dominate the European transfer market.
The Nigerian international has consistently been linked with Premier League heavyweights Chelsea and Manchester United, while several other elite clubs across Europe are monitoring his situation ahead of the new season.
Asked to name the standout performers in the Süper Lig, Ilıcalı did not hesitate to single out Osimhen as the league’s finest foreign player. He also named Trabzonspor captain and goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır as the best Turkish player.
Speaking on the possibility of signing players from Turkey, Ilıcalı admitted that the financial landscape has changed dramatically.
“The increase in the quality of the Süper Lig has made it quite difficult for us to transfer players from there. If it were 5 years ago, I knew I could easily bring 3-4 players from Turkey to the Premier League.
“However, today’s transfer fees and player salaries are far above those of that period. The most striking point is that the financial conditions provided by the three big clubs in Turkey to their players have now surpassed even the amounts paid by mid and lower-table teams in the Premier League.”
His comments reflect the growing financial muscle of Turkish football. Clubs such as Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş have significantly increased their spending in recent years, attracting established stars and making it increasingly difficult for clubs outside England’s elite to lure players away.
Osimhen is one of the biggest examples of that transformation.
After arriving at Galatasaray on loan from Napoli in September 2024 following his well-publicised fallout with the Italian club, the Nigerian striker quickly became a fan favourite with his goals, work rate and leadership.
He enjoyed a sensational debut campaign, scoring 37 goals and providing eight assists in 41 appearances across all competitions. His goals fired Galatasaray to both the Süper Lig title and the Turkish Cup.
The 26-year-old also rewrote the club’s history books by breaking Mario Jardel’s 24-year record for the most goals scored by a foreign player in a single season. He finished as the league’s top scorer with 26 goals and deservedly walked away with the Süper Lig Player of the Season award.
His outstanding displays convinced Galatasaray to activate a permanent €75 million deal in the summer of 2025, making him one of the biggest signings in Turkish football history.
Osimhen has continued to justify that investment.
During the 2025/26 campaign, he registered 22 goals and eight assists in 33 matches, helping Galatasaray retain the league title and further cement his place among the club’s modern greats.
Across two unforgettable seasons in Istanbul, the Super Eagles forward has amassed an incredible 59 goals and 16 assists in 74 appearances, winning two Süper Lig titles, one Turkish Cup, a Golden Boot and a Player of the Season award.
Beyond his exploits on the pitch, Osimhen has also become a commercial icon in Turkey. His trademark protective face mask has grown into a major merchandising success, with replicas selling in large numbers among Galatasaray supporters and further strengthening his popularity.
With another outstanding campaign behind him and interest from several European giants refusing to fade, Osimhen remains one of the most sought-after strikers in world football.
While Premier League clubs continue to monitor his situation, Ilıcalı’s comments underline a new reality: convincing Galatasaray’s biggest stars to leave is no longer as straightforward as it once was, thanks to the financial strength and growing ambition of Turkish football.
