Former Watford striker Troy Deeney has ranked Nigeria forward Victor Osimhen has among the top strikers in Europe following his superb run with Galatasaray.

The Super Eagle continued with his fine run of form with the Turkish side after notching in their latest Champions League win against Juventus.

“If you talk about him just as a footballer, he’s top 5 strikers in World football.”@T_Deeney lauds Victor Osimhen after his goal helped Galatasaray qualify for the #UCL round of 16 🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/5zmpD9hmkv

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 26, 2026

Despite suffering a 3-2 defeat in the second leg in Turin, Galatasaray advanced 7-5 on aggregate, having secured a commanding 5-2 victory in the first leg at home.

In the first half of extra time, Osimhen rose to the occasion. The Nigerian forward found the net in first-half stoppage time (105+2) after an assist from Barış Yılmaz, restoring Galatasaray’s aggregate advantage.

‘Only one or two players are better than Osimhen’

“Every league would want him; he’s physical, he’s strong and rough around the edges. Don’t get me wrong, he doesn’t look the silkiest, he’s not the Harry Kane type of striker,” Deeney told CBS Sports Golazo show.

“When you watch him, technically, he’s very good. He’ll bash you about, he can link the play, run in behind, and he scores goals, which is the most important.

“A lot of why he hasn’t moved on has been financial, a value that he places on himself that he wants, and clubs aren’t prepared to meet that.

He concluded: “I think when you start to look at him, the value is always going to be high, and if you look at him, only one or two players in Europe are better than him in every department.”

Osimhen scored his 7th goal in Champions League

Osimhen, who was named man of the match, has now scored seven Champions League this campaign for Galatasaray. His goal saw him become Galatasaray’s all-time top foreign goalscorer in the Champions League.

The Nigerian player surpassed Milan Baros (12) to become the foreign player with the most goals in European cups in Galatasaray history (13).

Osimhen scored his 7th goal in the Champions League and shared the title of the 4th highest scorer in the Champions League with Erling Haaland.

He became the player with the most shots on target in the Play-Off Round, alongside Kylian Mbappe, who is at the top of the scoring race with 13 goals (24).

Galatasaray will now face either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur in the Round of 16 — marking their first appearance at this stage of Europe’s elite competition since the 2013-14 season.

Victor Osimhen Top Strikers in Europe Debate Grows After Galatasaray Heroics

Former Watford striker Troy Deeney has boldly claimed that Nigeria international Victor Osimhen belongs among the top strikers in Europe following his sensational performances for Galatasaray.

The Super Eagles forward continued his remarkable form in the UEFA Champions League, playing a decisive role as the Turkish giants eliminated Juventus to secure a place in the Round of 16.

Despite suffering a 3-2 defeat in the second leg in Turin, Galatasaray progressed 7-5 on aggregate after their commanding 5-2 first-leg victory in Istanbul.

Victor Osimhen Top Strikers in Europe Argument Strengthened by Champions League Form

Osimhen once again proved decisive on the European stage. During extra time, the Nigerian striker rose to the occasion, scoring in first-half stoppage time (105+2) after receiving a precise assist from Barış Yılmaz.

The goal restored Galatasaray’s aggregate advantage and effectively sealed qualification.

His performance earned him the Man of the Match award and reignited discussions about his status among elite forwards in world football.

Speaking on CBS Sports Golazo, Deeney was full of praise for the 25-year-old striker.

“If you talk about him just as a footballer, he’s top five strikers in world football,” Deeney said.