Galatasaray And Arsenal Hold Talks Over Victor Osimhen Transfer Deal
Arsenal may need to pay at least €70 million (£58m) to sign Victor Osimhen from Galatasaray.
Reports say Mikel Arteta’s team is considering a move for the Turkish club’s star, while Galatasaray is interested in Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri.
Osimhen is now a possible target for Arsenal after they missed out on Vinicius Jr and Morgan Rogers.
Liverpool seem to be leading the race for Arsenal target Bradley Barcola, but a difference in valuation means the Premier League champions are still considering their options.
Osimhen has been linked with a Premier League move for a while. Chelsea nearly signed him in 2024, but he chose to join Galatasaray instead while still at Napoli.
According to the report, Galatasaray’s interest in Martinelli and Nwaneri has led Arsenal to consider signing Osimhen, who still has three years left on his contract.
Arsenal have not made a formal offer yet. However, it is suggested that signing Osimhen could cost them as much as the £58 million Galatasaray paid to bring him to Turkey.
Sebastien Denis from Foot Mercato says Arsenal are confident they can sign Osimhen before the transfer window closes. Osimhen scored 22 goals and made eight assists in 33 games for Galatasaray.
The 27-year-old has played well against English clubs, scoring against Liverpool and Chelsea in the Champions League. He has also won three times and never lost to Liverpool in five European matches.
The Telegraph reports that Arsenal and Galatasaray have talked about Osimhen’s availability after Galatasaray made a £38.4m offer for Martinelli.
They are also interested in Nwaneri, who was on loan at Marseille for the second half of last season.
Osimhen has been on Arsenal’s radar for a long time, but he was reportedly behind Julian Alvarez in their preferences.
Atletico Madrid’s £100 million price tag for Alvarez, along with their refusal to let him go, has made it difficult for Arsenal. As a result, Osimhen is now seen as an alternative option.
Uncertainty remains about whether Arsenal’s sporting director, Andrea Berta, raised the idea or pointed out that Osimhen is available.
If Osimhen joins and Nwaneri and Martinelli leave, Berta could complete three deals before the transfer window closes at the end of August.
