Despite Viktor Gyokeres’ Champions League brace, Arsenal fans can not help but cast longing glances at Victor Osimhen’s Galatasaray form
Arsenal fans may have seen many talents slip away in recent years, but one Gooner, Sky Sports journalist Dougie Critchley, believes they let a true world-beater escape.
Following Victor Osimhen’s explosive Champions League display for Galatasaray, Critchley took to social media to call the Nigerian striker a “potential Ballon d’Or contender,” a verdict that has since set football Twitter on fire.
Arsenal fan laments missed Osimhen opportunity
Critchley showed his admiration, writing on X (formerly Twitter): “No disrespect to Galatasaray but we really missed out on a potential Ballon d’Or contender in Victor Osimhen. 42 goals, 8 assists in 49 games since joining the Turkish giants.”
No disrespect to Galatasaray but we really missed out on a potential Ballon D’Or contender in Victor Osimhen.
42 goals, 8 assists in 49 games since joining the Turkish giants.
This season in the Champions League, despite missing the first game…
🇳🇬Only Mbappe has got more… pic.twitter.com/Zrv7l1TuaD
— Dougie Critchley (@DougieCritchley) October 23, 2025
He continued, pointing out the absurd efficiency behind Osimhen’s numbers: “Only Mbappé has got more shots on target. Only Mbappé has racked up more XG. 5.7 shots on target per 90 — first in the competition.
“75% of his shots are on target — of players to take at least 10 shots, Nicolas Jackson is next best on 60%. Pressing, aerial ability, finishing… in one 6ft 1 package! He’s got it all!”
Critchley’s frustration comes in the wake of Osimhen’s stunning Champions League brace in Galatasaray’s 3-1 win over Bodo/Glimt, a performance that earned him the Player of the Match award and saw him break a club record by scoring in seven consecutive European matches.
Victor Osimhen is now the first Galatasaray player to score in seven consecutive European matches.
The UEFA Technical Observer Group was equally impressed, praising him for being “a constant threat running behind the defence, dangerous in the air, and instrumental in pressing for the third goal.”
Osimhhen lights social media on fire
Social media erupted after the game. Fans who once compared him unfavourably to Europe’s elite were now admitting defeat.
One post read, “Only Nigerians do not rate this guy,” while another added, “Haaland scored two tap-ins and everyone called him the best striker in the world. Osimhen did it in under 40 minutes. That’s what a real striker looks like.”
Even those who had doubted his move to Turkey were forced to rethink. The brace was not just another stat-padding night, it was a statement of dominance. Osimhen’s relentlessness, pressing, and finishing embodied everything top clubs crave in a modern No.9.
The irony is not lost on Arsenal fans, who for years have cried out for a striker of his profile: tall, fast, aggressive, and ruthless. While Osimhen is thriving in Istanbul, the Gunners continue to rely on a rotating cast of promising but inconsistent forwards.
