GERMAN Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich have rekindled their interest in Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen, with head coach Vincent Kompany considering the Nigerian as a potential replacement for Harry Kane, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Bayern Munich are still in talks to renew Kane’s contract amid interest from Barcelona and clubs in the Premier League.
Kane may only be in his third season with Bayern, but he has already cemented himself as one of the club’s best strikers, with a return of 130 goals from 133 competitive matches.
With no offer on the table yet, the club sees Osimhen as the most suitable candidate to replace the England captain, following his impressive run of form in Turkey.
During his first season on loan in Turkey, where he scored 37 goals in 41 matches across all competitions, Osimhen returned to top form. Now in his second season with the “Cimbom,” he already boasts a strong record, with 10 goals in the Süper Lig and seven goals in eight UEFA Champions League appearances, including a decisive strike that sealed Galatasaray’s progress into the round of 16.
Signed for a Turkish record €75m last summer after a successful loan spell, the former Napoli striker is contracted to Galatasaray until June 2029.
According to Foot Mercato, the player represented by the KBSport agency is the subject of serious consideration at Bayern Munich.
“Bayern coach Vincent Kompany greatly admires the former Lille player, whose explosive start in Belgium with Charleroi he remembers fondly. The Munich management is anticipating all eventualities regarding Harry Kane’s (32 years old) ageing and is actively preparing for his eventual departure,” the report added.
Naturally, Galatasaray’s management are delighted with their investment and have no desire to part with him. However, when a European powerhouse comes calling, the situation could change.
Meanwhile, Osimhen still has admirers across Europe, but his wage demands, as well as his valuation—recently placed at around €150m by Galatasaray—have proven to be stumbling blocks.
The player has also spoken about his admiration for Italian giants Juventus following their recent UEFA Champions League meeting.
“If it were possible for me to return to Italy, Juventus is a club where I would take great pleasure in playing.
“But I am very happy at the club I am currently part of. I am fully committed here.”
Before that encounter, Osimhen had also spoken about his exit from Napoli, noting that the club blocked a potential move to Juventus.
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I Don’t Care If Iran Plays At 2026 World Cup In US – Trump
UNITED States President, Donald Trump, has said he is unconcerned about whether Iran national football team participates in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, amid growing uncertainty surrounding the country’s involvement in the tournament.
Trump made the remark in an interview with Politico on Tuesday, saying, “I really don’t care,” if Iran takes part in the competition.
“I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes,” he stated.
Questions have emerged over Iran’s participation following rising tensions in the Middle East and concerns about whether Iranian officials and supporters would be allowed entry into the United States, one of the host nations of the tournament.
The US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian targets on Saturday.
Iran later retaliated with missile and drone attacks on American and allied facilities across the Gulf region, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
The global football governing body, FIFA, has traditionally sought to keep politics separate from the World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Iran had earlier qualified for the tournament and is scheduled to face New Zealand national football team, Belgium national football team and Egypt national football team during the group stage.
However, Iran’s football federation president, Mehdi Taj, recently suggested that the current security situation could affect the country’s plans to participate.
“What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Taj told the Iranian sports outlet Varzesh3 following the strikes.
The tournament, scheduled for 2026, will be the first World Cup hosted by three countries and is expected to attract millions of fans from around the world.