There was a time when Juventus was the dominant force in Italian football. For almost a decade, they dictated the pace of Serie A, notching up nine straight titles and regularly competing in the final stages of the UEFA Champions League. Unfortunately, those memories feel uncomfortably distant. The team seems stuck in a frustrating cycle of moments of promise quickly swallowed up by inconsistency, injury troubles, and a goal-shy attack that lacks the venom of old.
Bianconeri worldwide are disheartened to see La Vecchia Signora reduced to chasing Champions League qualification instead of league titles. Perhaps more disheartening is the absence of a great goal-scoring striker who gets people off their seats and finds the back of the net with alarming regularity. Juventus is crying out for an elite-level number nine who strikes fear into the hearts of opponents. That is why the idea of Victor Osimhen in black and white has got Juventus fans tingling with excitement.
The Osimhen Effect: Power, Precision, and Purpose
Victor Osimhen is no ordinary striker; his presence on the pitch electrifies a team. Osimhen was unplayable at times during the 2022-23 Serie A season, helping Napoli defy the odds of the top betting sites and capturing a third Scudetto for Gli Azzurri. Having scored ten goals in 24 league games following his €70 million transfer from Lille in 2020-21, Osimhen found the back of the net 14 times in 27 appearances before putting up career-best numbers during Napoli’s title-winning campaign. Osimhen scored 26 goals in 32 games that season. Our Dusan Vlahovic bagged ten in 27.
Even as Napoli struggled last season, ultimately finishing tenth, in a vain attempt to defend their title, Osimhen scored 15 goals in only 25 games. Osimhen has plied his trade in the Turkish Super Lig with Galatasaray this season, following a season-long loan. His record? Twenty-five goals in 29 appearances.
Osimhen’s blistering pace, aerial dominance, and unrelenting pressing make him a nightmare for defenders. Above all, Osimhen scores goals, and Juventus needs goals right now.
The Search For An Out-and-Out Number Nine
Ever since Cristiano Ronaldo left for pastures new, Juventus’ frontline has been desperate for an out-and-out striker. CR7 was Juve’s top scorer in each of his three seasons in Turin, scoring 21, 31, and 29 Serie A goals.
Moise Kean was touted as the next big thing in Italian football, but he failed to live up to the hype. Kean drew a blank in his final 19 games with Juventus, although he is averaging better than a goal every other game for Fiorentina this season.
Serbian giant Dusan Vlahovic was seen as Ronaldo’s replacement, evident by the reported €70 million fee paid to sign him from Fiorentina during the 2021-22 winter transfer window. Now in his third full season with the club, Vlahovic has shown glimpses of his goal-scoring prowess yet remains inconsistent. He will score a brilliant brace one week, then go missing for two or three matches. If rumors prove true, this could well be Vlahovic’s final season at the Allianz Stadium, with the club reportedly open to using any transfer fee received for him to fund a deal for Osimhen.
Transfer Realities: Can Juventus Afford Osimhen?
When Osimhen signed a new contract during the 2023-24 season, it was widely reported that it included a €130 million release clause. Despite that astronomical number, Chelsea, Paris St. Germain, and the Saudi Pro League’s Al-Ahli were heavily linked with Osimhen that summer. A permanent transfer never materialized, and Napoli stripped Osimhen of his number nine shirt and omitted him from their Serie A squad. The Nigerian superstar joined Turkish giants Galatasaray on a season-long loan.
More recently, the Italian newspaper Repubblica has suggested Osimhen’s release clause is set at €75 million. However, that clause is not valid for Serie A clubs. Earlier this month, the Corriere dello Sport reported that Juventus is preparing an €85 million bid for Osimhen in an attempt to convince Napoli to allow their star player to remain in Italy.
Then there is the not-so-small issue of Osimhen’s gargantuan salary. He reportedly earns €11 million net annually, with Saudi-based teams able to offer three or four times that salary. It seems that Juventus will need Champions League football next season if they acquire Nigerian’s services. The game away at relegation-threatened Venezia on the season’s final day has so much riding on it.
The Bigger Picture: What Osimhen Could Mean for Juventus
A marquee signing like Osimhen would send a statement to Serie A and across Europe that Juventus is ready to reclaim its place among football’s elite. Osimhen is not a stopgap solution or a project; he is the finished product, and he’s entering his prime.
A deal would also unlock commercial opportunities. Osimhen is one of Africa’s biggest footballing stars, bringing a global following and marketing potential that could offset his price tag. From shirt sales to endorsements, Osimhen has the star power to attract a raft of new sponsors and legions of fans from the African continent and further afield.
Is Osimhen The Right Man For Juventus?
Few football teams in the world would not welcome Osimhen with open arms if a deal were possible. Juventus, a colossus of world football, could provide the Nigerian with a platform for superstardom. Everyone knows Osimhen loves being the focus of attention, and he would undoubtedly be front and center at the Allianz Stadium.
Juventus desperately needs a striker who can terrorize opponents, thrives under pressure, and knows how to unlock the watertight defences Serie A is famous for. Osimhen ticks off those boxes and more. He is a proven goal-scorer, knows Italian football like the back of his hand, and would thrive in the cauldron of pressure in Turin.
Osimhen looks like the perfect fit to lead Juventus’ line, a player who could alter the club’s trajectory. Would Napoli sell their crown jewel to an arch-rival? Money talks, and Juventus must find a way to raise the cash to secure one of football’s most exciting talents.
