Galatasaray have firmly rejected an approach from Atletico Madrid for striker Víctor Osimhen, with club president Dursun Özbek stating the 27-year-old is not for sale this summer. The move was considered a contingency plan by Atletico as they assess their forward options ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Atletico’s interest in Osimhen stemmed from concerns over potential bids for their current forward, Julián Álvarez. The club began exploring alternatives in case pressure to sell Álvarez intensified, despite the Argentine’s current contract situation.
Özbek emphasized Osimhen’s value to Galatasaray, highlighting his significant goalscoring record since joining from Napoli. The Nigerian international has scored 59 goals in 74 appearances for the Turkish club, contributing to two Superliga Turca titles and a Copa de Turquía triumph. Mundo Deportivo reported that Osimhen had expressed some interest in Atletico and their manager, making an approach feasible, but Galatasaray’s stance left no room for negotiation.
This rejection complicates Atletico’s summer transfer plans, limiting their options should they lose Álvarez. The club’s priority remains retaining the Argentine, who is protected by a €500m release clause and a contract extending to 2030. Despite this, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Barcelona, and PSG have all been monitoring Álvarez’s situation, according to ESPN. Atletico have maintained their firm stance on Álvarez, stating that any interested club must trigger his release clause rather than attempt to negotiate a lower fee.
With the Spanish transfer window closing on September 1, Atletico must now identify alternative striker targets if they wish to have a backup option in place. The club’s next steps will depend on the level of interest in Álvarez and whether any club is willing to meet his substantial release clause.
