Nigerian footballer Victor Osimhen has made it clear that he won’t be playing for Turkish club Fenerbahçe or any other team based in Istanbul.

This comes after rumors started spreading that the Napoli striker might be heading to Fenerbahçe. The club recently signed famous coach Jose Mourinho, which made fans think Osimhen could follow.

Osimhen explained that he would get too exhausted playing for a club in Istanbul, especially with the strong fan pressure. He specifically mentioned that joining Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe would wear him out.

Previously, Osimhen had a great loan period with Galatasaray, a top team in Turkey. He was sent there after it became obvious that Napoli’s new coach, Antonio Conte, didn’t plan to use him. During his time at Galatasaray, Osimhen scored 37 goals and gave eight assists in just 41 games.

Now 26 years old and a past winner of the Serie A Golden Boot, Osimhen is a hot target for many big clubs in Europe this summer. However, the Nigerian forward says he is taking his time before deciding where to go next.

Clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea, Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, and Juventus are reportedly interested in signing him. But in a recent interview quoted by Turkish media, Osimhen explained that he couldn’t handle the intense fan culture in Istanbul.

He said the support in Napoli was already a lot to deal with, and the passion in Turkey is even more extreme. Moving between rival Istanbul clubs, he said, would be too stressful for him.

With these comments, Osimhen has ended all the talk about him possibly making a surprise move to Fenerbahçe.