Victor Osimhen transfer: 3 frustrations pushing Arsenal towards Galatasaray star

Victor Osimhen could finally have his Premier League dream fulfilled this summer as Arsenal have initiated talks with Galatasaray for the Super Eagles striker, Afrik-Foot reports.

Arsenal’s interest in Victor Osimhen is not new after the club’s sporting director Andrea Berta watched the Nigeria international in last season’s Galatasaray-Fenerbahce derby.

Arsenal have now made Osimhen, Nigeria’s top earner in Turkey, a transfer target after problems with other attacking options. A report by Haber Global says Mikel Arteta wants a world-class striker and that Arsenal have turned to the Galatasaray forward after setbacks in their pursuit of Vinicius Junior and Julian Alvarez.

The story also links the move to Arsenal’s concerns about Viktor Gyokeres. The Sweden striker joined Arsenal from Sporting in July 2025 after scoring 54 goals in 52 games in all competitions. The deal was worth about £64m, including bonuses.

Osimhen, meanwhile, has built a strong record in European football, following his success at Sporting Charleroi, Lille, Napoli and now Galatasaray.

The latest report helps explain why Arsenal are looking at the 27-year-old again.

Viktor Gyokeres frustration puts pressure on Arsenal to find another elite striker

Arsenal spent heavily to solve their striker problem when they signed Gyokeres from Sporting in July 2025. He arrived after an outstanding season in Portugal. He scored 39 league goals and 54 in all competitions. Arsenal also knew him well after he scored a hat-trick against Manchester City in the Champions League while playing for Sporting.

Interestingly, in his first season at the Emirates, Gyökeres played a key role as Arsenal secured the Premier League title, their first in 22 years. Still, Arsenal are reportedly not satisfied with what they have seen from Gyokeres and that Arteta wants another world-class goalscorer.

That is a major change in the club’s attacking plans. Arsenal had invested about £64m in Gyokeres to lead the attack. Yet the club are now being linked with Osimhen, only one year after making the Swedish striker their main No.9 signing.

The interest in Osimhen therefore points to a desire for a different attacking option, not simply another squad player. Osimhen offers pace, power and strong movement in the penalty area. The Super Eagles striker could be the missing link as the Gunners seek to retain their league crown and possibly win the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.

Vinicius Junior setback leaves Arsenal without their preferred superstar option

Arsenal’s search did not start with Osimhen.

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior was one of the club’s first choices for the attack. That route then became much harder after the Brazilian’s situation at the Santiago Bernabéu changed.

The two parties have agreed to continue working together as Real Madrid officially extended Vinicius’ contract until 30 June 2027. The club has also made clear how important he is, with the Brazil forward having scored in the finals of both of Real Madrid’s recent Champions League triumphs.

After missing out on Vinicius, Arsenal were forced to look elsewhere. The reigning champions therefore needed a top forward who could improve the attack without turning the transfer into an impossible deal. Osimhen became a logical alternative. He was already known to Berta, and the Arsenal sporting director had seen him in a major match rather than relying only on reports from scouts.

Julian Alvarez price makes Victor Osimhen a more realistic Arsenal target

The other major problem was Julian Alvarez. The Argentina striker has been one of Arsenal’s main attacking targets, with the Gunners believed to be preparing an aggressive move for the Atletico Madrid forward.

But Alvarez was never going to be a simple signing. Atletico are not ready to part ways with the former Manchester City striker and would only be convinced to sell only if they receive an offer closer to the €500m release clause contained in his contract.

That price creates a major problem for Arsenal. The club had already invested heavily in Gyokeres and had other areas of the squad to improve.

Osimhen could therefore offer Arsenal a different route. The former Napoli man signed a four-year contract with Galatasaray in July 2025 after the Turkish club agreed a €75m transfer fee with Napoli. Arsenal could get a deal done for the Nigerian forward for a fee in the region of €100 million, despite Galatasaray’s insistence that their prized asset isn’t for sale.