Victor Osimhen has been linked with a move to the Premier League, with Arsenal interested in the Galatasaray forward amid reported £58m transfer talks
Victor Osimhen has emerged as a surprise transfer target for Arsenal and the Nigerian goal machine has delivered a ‘wait and see’ style response to talk of him joining the Premier League champions.
The 27-year-old, who has a staggering 61 goals in 75 games for Galatasaray, and 35 strikes in 51 appearances for his country, has spearheaded the Turkish giants since leaving Napoli in controversial circumstances. He couldn’t stop scoring in Serie A and fired the Naples outfit to the title, but then became embroiled in a bitter row with the club, which eventually led to him moving to Gala on loan and later permanently.
One of the top strikers in world football, he has long been linked with a move to England – primarily to either Manchester United or Chelsea – but his colossal £18m-a-year wages have often proved a stumbling block. But his name emerged as an Arsenal options during discussions between the Gunners and Galatasaray, with the Turkish titans trying to secure deals for Gunners duo Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Martinelli.
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While Martinelli turned down a switch to Istanbul, Osimhen seemed to leave the door ajar when confronted with rumours linking him to Arsenal, reports the Mirror.
Though he fell short of dismissing a potential exit from Galatasaray, he was equally determined to emphasise his focus remains on pre-season preparations, with Arsenal reportedly contemplating a bid for the £60m-rated striker.
Osimhen said: “There are always rumours in transfer seasons. I will take care of my business. I am focused on my job, then we will see and think further.”
He made an immediate impact on the opening day of the new Super Lig season on Friday, scoring twice as the defending champions were held to a 2-2 draw by newly promoted Çorum at RAMS Park.
Back in 2023, Osimhen made no secret of his ambition to one day play in the Premier League, at a time when he was in stunning form for Napoli as they stormed to the Serie A title.
“I think playing in one of the top five leagues in the world is an amazing feeling for me,” he said after being named ‘Best Foreign Athlete of the Year’ by the Italian Foreign Press Association in 2023.
“A lot of people worldwide consider the Premier League as the best and the strongest league but now I’m in one of the best leagues in the world which is the Italian Serie A.
“I’m working so hard to make sure that I achieve my dream of playing in the Premier League some day but like I said, it’s a process and I just want to keep on this momentum and continue to do well.”
At present, Arsenal have Viktor Gyokeres leading the line, with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus also available as central striking options. Defensive midfielder Mikel Merino has additionally shown an ability to trouble the scoreboard when deployed as a forward by Arteta in the past.
Arsenal have also been linked with a possible raid for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, though the Spanish club are reportedly demanding in excess of £100m for the Argentinian.
The Gunners have suffered significant setbacks with their attacking targets this summer.
They have already witnessed bids to land Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior collapse this summer, with both opting to join Chelsea and remain at Real Madrid respectively.