Frustrated? Yes, of course.

He wouldn’t be impassive, not this time. Not when it feels like deja vu. Because to be unbothered now would mean one thing: that tragedy has already become routine. And Victor Osimhen, for all his passion and pride, has never been one to take injustice lying down.

What was meant to be a straightforward transfer, a move backed by mutual desire and clear intent, for a player that appeared unwanted by his parent club, has instead turned into a prolonged spectacle. And Napoli, in the form of their always controversial president, are at the heart of it.

Aurelio De Laurentiis, in yet another saga, continues to prove why he is considered the most immovable negotiator. Ruthless and unapologetically self-interested.

Galatasaray fans, who dared to dream of a homecoming for their cult hero, are now trapped in the emotional crossfire. And for neutrals across the globe who admire Victor Osimhen for his talent and passion, this is becoming a painful watch.

But in the Middle East, the mood is different. Al Hilal fans are watching closely, not in frustration, but in hope that the longer this drags, the more likely Napoli are to cash out, and Osimhen will eventually land in Riyadh. But they might be wrong.

Victor Osimhen is not for sale in the way they think. Maybe, at least, not in his prime.

The 2023 CAF Men’s Player of the Year made his stance clear from the start of the summer: Galatasaray or nothing. Not just because of the football, but because of what that loan spell meant — the love he felt, the redemption he found, the memories that rewrote the narrative after Napoli had pushed him to the margins.

That same Napoli, the club that made him an outcast following a long, bitter saga last summer, is now clinging to him, desperate to extract maximum value before he walks.

They’ve tried to convince him back into the squad, tried to repaint the picture, but he’s unmoved. His mind is made up. His heart has already packed its bags for Istanbul. The dungeon they felt they had cast him in around a year ago.

They made every effort to frustrate Galatasaray during their negotiations. Even when the Turkish champions matched the release clause set for Osimhen, they insisted that they activate it and not pay in instalments.

But Galatasaray did not give up. They continued to push, to finally reach a neutral ground with Aurelio De Laurentiis and Napoli amidst their wicked demands.

The fourth party on this deal, the Saudis, of course, don’t see emotion. They see investment. They see Osimhen’s face lighting up billboards, and his name on the backs of thousands of shirts, iconic as it was in Naples and currently in Istanbul.

But what they don’t see, or choose not to, is that this decision was never about money. And that is perhaps the most refreshing part of this story.

There have also been reports of Italian teams interested in signing Osimhen, but the striker was never open to entertaining suitors, given that his priority is a return to Galatasaray. Giving such importance to the club — and, to be fair, the fans have been very reciprocating.

Osimhen has faced criticism in the past. Accusations swirled when a potential move to Chelsea reportedly broke down due to financial wrangling, leading some fans and pundits to paint him as greedy. 

But now, as he stares down the riches of Al Hilal and the pressure from Napoli’s hierarchy, and still refuses to blink, he is silencing those narratives one principled step at a time.

This isn’t about wages. This isn’t about image. This is about belonging, about going where his heart feels understood. Galatasaray worshipped him like a Galactico, and his achievement was a match. One good turn deserves another. And then, another.

In Istanbul, fans of Galatasaray are eager to welcome him back again. Even ready to lend financial aid to the club just so this signing can get over the line. They are not tired. And by the looks, they can never get tired.

This is the kind of reception for players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and that is exactly the status those around the club have for Victor Osimhen. And to be fair, he has and is still fighting to justify that, both on and off of pitch.

37 goals and seven assists in 41 games across all competitions. All domestic titles secured in that time and the award for the top scorer in the league to the accolades, how better could he have earned the status of Gala's Galactico?

The saga has also stirred controversy in the Galatasaray hierarchy. While the majority sees it as a golden opportunity, a few suggest the club look elsewhere and not invest so much in one player.

Recently, club secretary Eray Yazgan was openly criticized by the fans after leaked information revealed that he was behind the suggestion that the club should seek alternatives in the Osimhen deal.

"I hope whoever made the claim today realizes the damage they're doing to Galatasaray. To put it mildly, this claim is nothing more than a blatant lie." Said Eray Yazgan.

"My primary focus in the transfer of a top-tier player like Osimhen is how this acquisition will benefit our club in the short and long term, how our investment will add value over time, and the many victories we will achieve with our entire coaching staff and players on our path to the Champions League and our 26th championship. The rest is just talk." He added.

Victor Osimhen's situation is like that of a Messiah. In Istanbul, Galatasaray fans await, and the Turkish Football Federation will also be understandably delighted, due to the visibility and reach his presence gives to their league.

As they close in on the conclusion of the deal, Galatasaray must know they have the love of players, and top teams of the world will pay much more to earn.

Yet, in a world where loyalty is bought and intentions are negotiated, Victor Osimhen proves that not every player is for sale, no matter the offer. And Galatasaray, for their modest status among the elites in Europe, can consider itself lucky to have a world-class player taking up so much, just to again, done their shirt again.