Arsenal Eye Move for Galatasaray Striker Victor Osimhen

Arsenal are weighing up a move for Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen as the search for a new centre-forward gathers pace – with Manchester United stepping out of the race.

Mikel Arteta’s side spent £64million on Viktor Gyokeres last summer, but the hunt has not stopped there. The club’s ideal signing is Julian Alvarez, who has informed Atletico Madrid he wants out in order to challenge for the biggest prizes, from the Champions League to the Ballon d’Or.

Alvarez, though, has his heart set on Barcelona. That, combined with Atleti slapping a price tag of more than €200m (£171m) on the Argentine, has forced Arsenal to look elsewhere.

And that is where Osimhen comes in.

Arsenal and Spurs circle as United step aside

TEAMtalk report that both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have been holding internal discussions about a potential swoop for the Nigerian, who has long dreamed of playing in the Premier League.

United, long-time admirers of Osimhen, have cooled their interest, put off by the overall cost of the deal. Their retreat leaves the path clearer for either of the north London rivals to make a statement signing.

Nothing is close yet. No formal talks, no agreement – just groundwork and debate behind closed doors as both clubs assess whether they can realistically pull it off.

Osimhen, 27, has been linked with a surprisingly low figure of around €65m (£55.5m) in some recent reports. Galatasaray, though, are expected to push for closer to £100m, a price more in line with his reputation as one of Europe’s premier No 9s.

His contract still has three years to run, which only strengthens the Turkish champions’ hand at the negotiating table.

Wages that could break a deal

The transfer fee is only half the problem.

According to the same report, Osimhen is seeking wages of around £400,000 per week to make the jump to England. Those demands were a major stumbling block in his proposed move to Chelsea in 2024 and could again prove decisive.

For Arsenal, that level of salary would shatter their current structure and raise serious questions about squad balance, particularly with Gyokeres already leading the line. It is why some at the club might argue that sporting director Andrea Berta should prioritise a different position altogether.

A new left winger has been on the agenda. Arsenal have already missed out on Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior this summer. Bradley Barcola is another name on the list, but Liverpool currently lead the chase for the Frenchman.

If that door closes as well, the Gunners may have to accelerate plans for alternatives such as Nico Williams, Kenan Yildiz or Iliman Ndiaye.

So the dilemma is clear: push the limits to land Osimhen and reshape the attack around a marquee No 9, or double down on wide reinforcements and trust Gyokeres to carry the goals. For Arsenal and Spurs alike, the next move in this pursuit could define the shape of their forward lines for years.