Buruk confirms Osimhen deal causes ‘budget issue’ for Inter’s Calhanoglu | OneFootball

Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk has confirmed that the club’s impending deal for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen causes a ‘budget issue’ that leaves his side unlikely to find an agreement with Inter for midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu.

Galatasaray have been seeking deals for two high-profile Serie A players in Napoli-owned Osimhen and Nerazzurri midfielder Calhanoglu this summer.

Reports earlier in the week confirmed that Galatasaray have agreed to pay the full €75m release clause in Osimhen’s Napoli contract after an overwhelmingly successful spell on loan in Istanbul during the 2024-25 season.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY – FEBRUARY 23: Victor Osimhen of Galatasaray gestures during the Turkish Super League match between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce at Rams Park Stadium on February 23, 2025 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images)

The parties remain in discussions over the payment structure of the €75m, and Napoli are seeking official guarantees from the bank to ensure that payment is received in full.

Buruk confirms Galatasaray unlikely to land Calhanoglu deal

With a deal for Osimhen close to completion at a cost of €75m, Galatasaray are now unlikely to pull off a deal for Inter’s Calhanoglu.

MUNICH, GERMANY – APRIL 08: Hakan Calhanoglu of FC Internazionale controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final First Leg match between FC Bayern München and FC Internazionale Milano at Fussball Arena Muenchen on April 08, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

The Nerazzurri had previously warned that the 31-year-old will not leave the club for anything under €30m this summer, and that if there was no agreement for his exit in place by the end of the month, then he would remain an Inter player for 2025-26.

Buruk, speaking publicly on Thursday, has confirmed that a deal for Calhanoglu is now unlikely for Galatasaray as a result of their negotiations for Osimhen.

“Every team would want Calhanoglu, he’s a phenomenal player,” Buruk said, reported via Sports Digitale.

“His love for Galatasaray is very strong,” Buruk continued.

epa11713695 Inter Milan�s Hakan Calhanoglu celebrates afer scoring the 1-1 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Inter and Napoli at Giuseppe Meazza stadium in Milan, Italy, 10 November 2024. EPA-EFE/NICOLA MARFISI

“But right now, he’s playing for a team with high expectations. Everyone would want Hakan, but the budget issue becomes significant with the Osimhen matter.

“Hakan is an important player for a team like Inter, and we need to respect that, too. Signing players like him is important, but we don’t know about our budget or the expectations from the other side. High figures tend to come up with players like this.”