Arsenal have held talks with Galatasaray over a potential move for Victor Osimhen, according to multiple British and European reports, with the Nigeria international’s name surfacing as part of broader negotiations between the two clubs involving Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri.
According to The Telegraph’s football news correspondent, Matt Law, Galatasaray have tabled a £38.4m offer for Martinelli and have also expressed interest in Nwaneri, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Marseille, during extensive talks with Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta.
It remains unclear whether Berta raised the possibility of signing Osimhen during those discussions, or whether Galatasaray made the striker available as part of the wider conversation.
Osimhen came close to a Premier League move two years ago, when Chelsea held advanced talks over signing him from Napoli, only for the striker to join Galatasaray on loan before the Turkish champions made the deal permanent for what was reported at the time as €75m. He has since established himself as one of Europe’s most prolific forwards, scoring 59 goals in 74 appearances across his two campaigns in Turkey and helping Galatasaray win back-to-back Super Lig titles, the second of which saw him net 22 goals and provide six assists in 33 league appearances last season.
Arsenal have long admired Osimhen but had reportedly ranked the Nigerian below Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez on their list of preferred striker targets. Their pursuit of the Argentine has grown complicated, however, with Atletico said to be demanding a fee in excess of £100m and refusing to negotiate even with Barcelona, who have already had an £86m offer rejected this summer. That impasse is understood to have prompted Arsenal to reconsider alternative options, with Osimhen returning to serious contention.
Meanwhile, Galatasaray have rejected a €130m verbal offer from Saudi Pro League giants Al Hilal for Super Eagles striker Osimhen.
German transfer journalist Florian Plettenberg reported on Thursday that an intermediary acting on behalf of Al Hilal conveyed the offer to Galatasaray on Wednesday, but the Turkish champions are unwilling to negotiate over the striker.
“Galatasaray were offered €130m for Victor Osimhen yesterday via an intermediary acting for Al-Hilal. The offer was made verbally. Galatasaray are not willing to negotiate at this stage and have no intention of entering talks,” Plettenberg posted on X.
It is worth noting that the reports linking Arsenal with Osimhen sit alongside conflicting recent claims over the striker’s situation at Galatasaray, including an earlier report suggesting the Turkish club had reduced their asking price to €65m amid interest from Saudi side Al Hilal, and a separate claim that Galatasaray have “no intention” of selling Osimhen at all after rejecting a bid in excess of €130m.