Nigerian Super Eagles Star, Victor Osimhen, Shines on the International Sports Marketing Scene
In a significant achievement, Victor Osimhen has become the first African player to feature in Sports Pro’s Top 50 Most Marketable Athletes list for 2024, securing the 44th spot with an impressive overall marketability score of 64.15.
The American sports website evaluates athletes based on three key criteria: brand strength, total addressable market, and economics. Osimhen excelled in these areas, demonstrating a strong brand presence, a vast market potential, and a healthy economic return on investment.
Interestingly, Osimhen outperformed popular footballers like Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, who ranked 45th with an overall score of 64.02. The top five in the list comprises American gymnast Simone Biles, Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr., eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, and PSG’s Neymar, with Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal also featuring in the top 20.
This achievement is all the more remarkable, given Osimhen’s tumultuous transfer market, which saw Napoli reduce his release clause by €35 million in 2024. Currently, he is on a successful loan spell at Turkish giants Galatasaray, where he has already smashed the club’s seven-year record with six goal contributions in his first five league games.
Osimhen’s performances have generated substantial interest from various clubs, and recent reports suggest that Galatasaray are preparing a €50 million bid to secure his permanent signing in January. However, this offer falls short of his €75 million release clause.
Prior to his transfer to Galatasaray, Osimhen was linked with a move to Chelsea, ultimately choosing to pursue a new challenge in Turkey. So far, he has scored four goals and provided four assists in seven matches, solidifying his reputation as a top-notch forward in the Turkish league.
