Arsenal Pursue Victor Osimhen as Alvarez Talks Stall
Arsenal are weighing up a blockbuster move for Victor Osimhen in the final weeks of the summer window, a pursuit that would send shockwaves through the Premier League title race.
Mikel Arteta’s need for a new No.9 has been an open secret for months. Gabriel Jesus looks increasingly like the odd man out at the Emirates, his future pushed towards the exit while Arsenal search for a more ruthless focal point.
Viktor Gyokeres offered glimpses last season that he could grow into that role. Twenty-one goals in 55 appearances across all competitions underlined his potential as a 20-goal-a-season striker in north London. But Arsenal’s recruitment drive has never stopped at potential.
They have been heavily linked with Julian Alvarez, currently at Atletico Madrid, as a long-term solution. Yet, just as that chase has started to stall, a new name has moved to the front of the queue: Victor Osimhen of Galatasaray.
Arsenal turn to Osimhen as Alvarez talks stall
According to The Telegraph, Arsenal have held discussions that include Osimhen during wider talks with Galatasaray over possible deals involving Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri. The Nigerian forward, long admired across Europe, has forced his way onto the Gunners’ radar at precisely the moment Atletico are digging in over Alvarez.
Atletico have already batted away interest from Real Madrid and rejected a €100m (£86.7m) bid from Barcelona for Alvarez. That stance has made any move for the Argentine increasingly complicated, and Arsenal know it.
Galatasaray, by contrast, may prove a more willing partner. They are keen on Martinelli and have already lodged a €45m (£38.4m) offer for the Brazilian. That pursuit is far from straightforward, with Martinelli understood to be unenthusiastic about a switch to the Turkish Super Lig, but the dialogue between the clubs is active.
On top of that, Arsenal have reportedly put Ethan Nwaneri on the table for €40m (£34.1m). Talks over the 19-year-old, who caught the eye on loan at Marseille last season, are said to be progressing. Those negotiations provide a natural channel for Osimhen’s name to come up.
Osimhen’s path back towards the Premier League
This is not the first time Osimhen has brushed close to English football. Two years ago, Chelsea held advanced talks with Napoli over a deal, only for the move to collapse. Instead, the striker headed to Galatasaray on an initial loan, a move that became permanent last summer for €75m (£64.8m).
It has proved a transformative signing for the Turkish giants. Osimhen has powered them to back-to-back league titles, scoring 59 goals in 74 games and bullying defences with the same mix of pace, aggression and penalty-box instinct that made him a star in Serie A.
Across his club career, the 27-year-old has racked up 173 goals in 297 appearances. Those are the numbers of a finisher in his prime, not a prospect still learning the craft.
Arsenal know that. They were offered the chance to sign him two years ago but walked away, wary that Napoli’s demands would spiral beyond their comfort zone. That caution may yet prove costly, but the market has shifted, and so have Arsenal’s ambitions.
Now, with Galatasaray open to talks and Osimhen understood to be open to a move to north London, the dynamics are different. The Gunners are no longer a team scrambling for a top-four place; they are a side chasing titles, hunting for the final piece of a front line that can carry them over the line in May.
If Andrea Berta’s work as sporting director can turn these conversations into a concrete deal, Arsenal’s attack – and the balance of power in the Premier League – could look very different by the time the window closes.
