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Arsenal have reportedly entered into "discussions" with Galatasaray over a surprising and potentially questionable move for striker Victor Osimhen.
The Nigerian international has been on Arsenal's radar for over a decade. When Osimhen first caught attention at the U-17 World Cup in 2015, the Gunners attempted to sign the youngster, only to be turned down. "Yes Arsenal is a good team for young players," the striker said at the time, "but Wolfsburg is the best club for me."
Throughout a career spanning Lille, Napoli and eventually Galatasaray, Osimhen has consistently been linked with a Premier League move, with Arsenal among his most persistent suitors. Still just 27, Osimhen could finally make that long-anticipated switch after The Telegraph reported that conversations between the Turkish and English champions have occurred.
It remains unclear which side initiated contact, or what it would cost to lure away a center forward who set Galatasaray back around $86 million (€75 million) just a year ago. Osimhen, for his part, showed no urgency in dismissing the speculation.
'What Comes Next'—Osimhen Replies to Arsenal Transfer Links
Players at the heart of transfer stories are often accused of having their words blown out of proportion by the media. Yet, it's not difficult for them to offer a firm denial. Osimhen notably passed up that opportunity when asked about potential departures from Istanbul this week.
"There are always rumors during the transfer windows," he said. "I'll focus on my job. I'm focused on my work. We'll see and think about what comes next then."
Osimhen is contracted until 2029 and is undeniably Galatasaray's key figure. The two-time Turkish champion has racked up 61 goals in 75 appearances since joining the club on the Bosphorus two years ago. While those statistics are impressive and Osimhen's dynamic playing style makes for compelling viewing, Arsenal have been burned by this kind of illusion before.
Why Arsenal Should Avoid Osimhen
A physically imposing center forward with an outstanding scoring record in a league outside Europe's top five sounds remarkably familiar. Viktor Gyökeres boasted an even superior goal ratio at Sporting CP compared to Osimhen, yet still fell short of expectations during a difficult debut season at Arsenal.
As the powerful Swede found out, most Premier League defenders are well-equipped to handle a powerful center forward accustomed to exploiting space that simply doesn't exist in England's top flight. Despite accumulating 21 goals across all competitions last season, Gyökeres failed to score a single open-play goal against any of the Premier League's top six sides.
At least Gyökeres managed to convert penalties against lower-ranked opponents. Osimhen's injury history raises serious doubts about whether he could log enough minutes to match even those contributions. Over the past six seasons, the 27-year-old has missed a combined 82 matches due to various physical problems — averaging more than 13 absences per year. Arsenal already have enough concerns over attacking fitness without spending millions on an injury-prone striker.
Whether Arsenal even require a traditional center forward of any durability is another question worth considering.
The Arsenal Spine. pic.twitter.com/Sed5xLGdxg
Arteta has made clear that the reigning league champions must build on their existing strengths. "The ambition of the club, it's big," the Arsenal manager said this week, "we want to improve the squad, we want to evolve the squad, and in order to achieve that, we have obviously detected some areas that can be strengthened. That's what we are trying to do."
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Yet, Arteta already has Gyökeres and Kai Havertz available as central options, with Mikel Merino having proven himself a capable emergency solution. What the Gunners genuinely require is a high-profile signing at left wing to replace the potentially departing Gabriel Martinelli.
Vinícius Júnior is no longer a realistic option, but other targets remain available. Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola could be attainable at a high price, while Atlético Madrid's Julián Alvarez offers enough versatility to operate on the wing or through the center.
Arteta has expressed concern over how few players on the market could genuinely improve his first team. It's far from certain that Osimhen would fall into that select category.