Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen has been declared the greatest striker ever to grace the Turkish Super Lig by respected commentator Volkan Demirel.

The praise came in the aftermath of Galatasaray’s heavy 4-1 Champions League defeat to Barcelona, yet Demirel insisted the result did nothing to diminish the Nigerian’s standing.

Speaking to Sami Yen Gündem, Demirel placed Osimhen in a category of his own, well clear of previous high-profile imports.

“After this, a man of this caliber won’t come along either,” he said.

“Of course, many huge stars have passed through these parts before; names like Anelka, Niang, Gomis, Sørloth, and Mario Gomez set foot in this country, but Osimhen is definitely on a whole different level, a very separate tier.”

The comparison is particularly striking. Nicolas Anelka, who starred for Fenerbahçe in 2005-06, along with the likes of Mamadou Niang, Bafétimbi Gomis, Alexander Sørloth and Mario Gómez, were once regarded as elite foreign forwards in Turkey. Demirel’s verdict elevates Osimhen above all of them.

Since arriving at Galatasaray from Napoli, the Super Eagles striker has delivered consistently high-level performances in both domestic and European competition.

His combination of pace, power, aerial ability and clinical finishing has set a new benchmark for strikers in the Super Lig.

While Galatasaray’s European campaign suffered a setback against Barcelona, Osimhen’s individual excellence continues to draw widespread acclaim.