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Victor Osimhen says he is prepared to face any challenge at Galatasaray, the Turkish club that greeted him with an overwhelming airport reception that left the Nigerian striker stunned.
"I'm ready to go through everything with Galatasaray; the good, the bad and the ugly - but hopefully, more good than bad," Osimhen told UEFA's official website in a recent interview.
The 25-year-old forward described his arrival in Istanbul as unlike anything he had experienced before. Fans tracked his flight and gathered at the airport in the early morning hours to welcome him.
"I arrived in Istanbul and I had never seen anything like that in my life. It was incredible to have so many people at the airport. Many were tracking flights, dealing with everything. I think it was two or three in the morning. Many were fathers, most were husbands, most were spouses. They needed to sleep with their families and rest at home, but they were out there alone," Osimhen said.
The striker's path to one of Türkiye's biggest clubs began in difficult circumstances. He grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, as the youngest of seven siblings in what he describes as a very poor family.
"I come from a very poor family. I'm the youngest of 7 siblings. I lost my mother at a very young age, and my father also passed away in 2020," Osimhen said.
He credits his upbringing in the Olusosun area of Lagos with shaping his character and determination.
"Olusosun (where he was born) was the place that made me the person I am today, and even though I don't mention how much it gave, it gave me life lessons that helped me in my life journey," he said.
Now at Galatasaray on loan from Napoli, Osimhen has set his sights on making an impact in the UEFA Champions League. He said he discussed these ambitions with the club's president upon his arrival.
"We really want to make a difference in the Champions League. In Türkiye, we want to show that we are a team that the whole world will recognize this year, because we have really achieved something great in Europe," Osimhen said.
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The forward also paid tribute to former Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba, whom he has studied closely throughout his career.
"I saw Drogba's playing style and I tried to make my game similar to his, to see how he played and how he lived outside of football. So I have to be grateful to that man because looking at where I am now, I think I owe some of my success to him," Osimhen said.
Galatasaray currently competes in the Champions League group stage, marking the club's return to Europe's premier competition.
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