Waddle Backs Newcastle to Sign Osimhen Better Than Turkey

The former England and Newcastle winger said he had watched Osimhen five or six times during the 2025-26 season in Turkey and came away convinced the 27 year old is playing at the wrong level for a striker of his calibre, as reported by FootballInNigeria.com.ng. Writing on the BoyleSports blog, Waddle delivered a glowing assessment that covered every dimension of Osimhen’s game and ended with an appeal to his former club to move quickly if the opportunity arises this summer.

“He’s better than the Turkish league,” Waddle said plainly. It is a view shared by most neutral observers who have tracked Osimhen’s form since his €75 million move from Napoli to Galatasaray last summer, but hearing it from a former professional who has physically gone to watch him multiple times carries a particular weight. Waddle played for Newcastle between 1985 and 1989 before joining Marseille, and his affection for the club gives his recommendation a personal dimension beyond punditry.

What Waddle Sees in Osimhen

The former winger’s praise was specific and grounded rather than vague. He highlighted Osimhen’s work ethic first, describing him as a player who runs hard for the full 90 minutes and always wants to put himself about. The willingness to press, to make runs that may not come off, and to lead from the front without complaint were the qualities Waddle kept returning to in his assessment.

“He’s very consistent, very mobile, and a good technical player who’s good in the air,” he wrote, adding that the combination of aerial ability, movement and technical quality is rare in a striker at any level. He also noted that Osimhen’s age, still only 27, means his peak years lie ahead rather than behind him. “People say players peak at 28, 29, and 30, so he’s got plenty of time to play his best football in the Premier League,” Waddle said. The timing of the call, ahead of a summer window that will define the trajectories of several top clubs, is deliberate and pointed.

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Why Newcastle Makes Sense

Waddle’s specific nomination of Newcastle is not arbitrary. The Magpies qualified for European football again in 2025-26 and have been building consistently under their Saudi ownership since the takeover in 2021. Their need for a reliable, high-quality centre forward has been one of the most discussed gaps in the squad for the past two seasons, and Osimhen’s profile, physical, mobile, technically capable and aggressive in pressing, maps cleanly onto what Eddie Howe’s system demands from a number nine.

Waddle believes the competition for Osimhen’s signature would be fierce if he became available. “If he were to become available, there would be at least five clubs trying to chase him down, let alone Newcastle,” he wrote, a framing that acknowledges the challenge while implicitly suggesting Newcastle should be willing to move decisively rather than wait. The question of availability is the most significant variable in the equation.

Galatasaray President Insists He Stays, But Doubt Persists

The Galatasaray president’s public position is that Osimhen will not be leaving the club this summer. The Turkish champions, who defended their Süper Lig title this season and reached the Champions League Round of 16, have invested heavily in building around the Nigerian striker and have no obvious financial pressure to sell. Osimhen himself signed a contract extension during his permanent move from Napoli last summer, a deal that gives Galatasaray considerable leverage in any negotiation.

Despite the official line, the speculation around his future has refused to disappear. Real Madrid and Barcelona have both been linked with Osimhen in recent months, and the Spanish clubs’ interest adds a dimension to his transfer narrative that goes well beyond Newcastle. A player who is attracting attention from the two biggest clubs in the world is not one whose future can be considered settled regardless of what club presidents say in the media. New Bet9ja users wanting to follow Osimhen’s transfer story over the summer can access Bet9ja’s welcome code before the window opens on June 16.

A Season That Justified All the Attention

Whatever happens next, Osimhen’s 2025-26 campaign at Galatasaray has done nothing but reinforce his standing as one of the most complete strikers in world football. He scored 22 goals and contributed eight assists in 33 appearances across all competitions, leading Galatasaray’s attack across the Süper Lig, the Turkish Cup, and their Champions League run. The Champions League appearances in particular gave European audiences the chance to evaluate him against higher quality opposition, and the results were broadly impressive.

Waddle’s observation that he was surprised Osimhen chose Turkey after leaving Napoli is a sentiment shared by many in the football world. The narrative of how one of Europe’s leading scorers ended up in the Süper Lig rather than the Premier League or La Liga is a complicated one, involving contract disputes, a failed Chelsea loan deal, and timing issues that ultimately benefited Galatasaray. Whether this summer produces a different outcome is the question that will dominate Nigerian football conversations between now and the close of the transfer window. Fans tracking every development can visit Bet9ja’s login bonus page for the best available offers while the transfer saga unfolds.