Istanbul/Liverpool, October 1, 2025 –
Victor Osimhen’s Champions League winner against Liverpool was more than just a decisive strike – it was a damning verdict on the Reds’ £200 million summer gamble in attack.
Hours after converting the 16th-minute penalty that sealed Galatasaray’s 1-0 triumph at RAMS Park – a result that sparked chaos and ultimately cost Arne Slot his job – the Nigerian forward dropped a bombshell on Turkish TV. In an unfiltered interview with TRT Spor, Osimhen revealed he turned down a blockbuster move to Anfield last summer because of one new arrival’s “selfish” playing style.
“When I heard they were signing him, I immediately said no,” Osimhen admitted, with disdain in his voice. “I knew I couldn’t thrive alongside a player like that. He frustrates me – too selfish, too focused on himself. Tonight, he only proved my point.”
Though he refused to name names, all roads led to Hugo Ekitike. The £79m striker, recruited from PSG as Liverpool’s marquee No. 9, endured a miserable night in Istanbul: no shots on target from 47 touches, a key turnover before the penalty, and an eventual injury exit that left the attack blunt. For Osimhen, who dominated Ibrahima Konaté and won 12 of 15 duels, it was vindication.
“I studied their games. The talent is there, the energy is there,” Osimhen continued. “But him? He hogs possession, ignores Salah’s and Díaz’s runs, and plays for himself. That’s not Liverpool football.”
Thierry Henry echoed the criticism on CBS Sports: “Ekitike’s selfishness nearly cost Galatasaray a goal – if he lays it off, Liverpool equalize early.” Fans online were even harsher, posting clips of Ekitike’s errant dribbles with captions like: “Osimhen dodged the bullet – we fired the blank.” The hashtag #EkitikeEgo soon trended with over 120k mentions.
Flash back to July: Liverpool, fresh off a title-winning campaign, had tabled €120m for Osimhen, dreaming of a Salah-Osimhen partnership. Napoli accepted, personal terms were close – until the Nigerian’s camp reviewed tapes of Ekitike’s PSG cameos. His assist rate of 0.2 per 90, compared to Osimhen’s 15 assists last season, painted a worrying picture. “Victor is a team-first striker,” agent Roberto Moresco told Gazzetta dello Sport. “Ekitike? He’s a lone wolf. It wasn’t compatible.”
Galatasaray pounced with a €6m loan and €75m buyout clause – and Osimhen has since thrived with 23 goals in 29 matches. Meanwhile, Liverpool’s strike force has floundered. Between Ekitike’s erratic form and Alexander Isak’s muted start, Slot’s £204m forward rebuild already looks like a misfire.
The contrast was brutal in Istanbul. Osimhen’s composed penalty – slotted straight down the middle as Alisson dived – came directly from a sequence triggered by Ekitike’s turnover. “He showed exactly why I refused to join,” Osimhen said bluntly. “Selfish play, no vision. Liverpool deserve strikers who elevate Salah, not ones who undermine him.”
Slot, sacked hours later, had defended the Frenchman pre-match: “Hugo is raw but evolving.” But his departure leaves interim boss Sipke Hulshoff facing Manchester City without Ekitike, who limped off with a hamstring injury. Behind the scenes, Liverpool owner John W. Henry is said to regret passing on Osimhen – now valued at €130m and courted by Arsenal and Chelsea.
For Galatasaray, the night was symbolic. Osimhen strutted off in his trademark Superman cape to the roar of 52,000 fans, lifting them to third in their Champions League group. For Liverpool, the fallout is bleak: two defeats in a row, a fractured attack, and their “almighty” summer signing exposed on the biggest stage.
As one viral fan post put it:
“Osimhen spurned selfishness and soared. We bought selfishness –
