Arsenal Urges Osimhen to Lower Wage Demands in Transfer Saga

Arsenal have made it clear to Victor Osimhen: if he wants to lead the line at the Emirates, he will have to climb down from his current wage demands.

The London club remain locked on to the Galatasaray striker as their priority centre-forward target before the summer window shuts, with Mikel Arteta still searching for the ruthless No. 9 he believes can turn dominance into trophies.

Arteta’s plans have already taken a hit. Arsenal failed in their efforts to lure Julian Alvarez away from Atletico Madrid, with the Argentine understood to favour a move to Barcelona over a return to the Premier League. That setback has only sharpened the focus on Osimhen.

According to FootMercato, Arsenal have held direct talks over a deal for the Nigeria international, but the negotiations have hit a financial ceiling. The club are refusing to shatter their wage structure, leaving the move hinging on whether Osimhen is prepared to accept a reduced salary.

The 27-year-old earns more than €20 million (£17.1m) per year at Galatasaray. Arsenal are not prepared to go that high. Even if the salary issue is resolved, there is another wall to climb: the transfer fee.

Galatasaray president Dursun Ozbek has been adamant that the striker is not for sale. That stance was tested earlier this month when Al-Hilal came in with a €130 million (£111m) offer. The Turkish champions rejected it, a firm signal to the market that prising Osimhen away will not be easy or cheap.

Al-Hilal then pivoted. Having been rebuffed in their pursuit of Osimhen, they turned to Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, only to see a £45 million bid knocked back as well. Top-tier strikers are proving almost immovable this summer, no matter the money on the table.

Through all of this noise, Osimhen has simply kept scoring.

He has started the season in Turkey in blistering form. On Friday, he hit a brace and added an assist in Galatasaray’s 4-0 demolition of Erzurumspor away from home. Before that, he had already struck twice in a 2-2 draw with Corum FK. His performances underline exactly why Europe’s elite are circling — and why Galatasaray feel emboldened to stand firm.

For now, Osimhen remains the focal point of the Turkish champions’ attack and is expected to keep leading the line while Arsenal wait. The Premier League side have made their position clear; the numbers will not spiral out of control.

The next move belongs to the striker.