Victor Osimhen to Arsenal: Where his wages would rank among Saka, Gyökeres & Havertz

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has been strongly linked with a transfer to reigning English Premier League champions Arsenal this summer, Afrik-Foot reports.

The 27-year-old marksman is one of the best strikers in world football, and he has continued to earn plaudits for his impressive performances at Galatasaray.

As usual, the best players are often linked with the biggest clubs, and that has been the case with Osimhen over the past six months, despite the fact that he only joined the Cimbom last summer.

This summer alone, clubs such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham have been linked with the Nigerian. However, none of those rumours has materialised into a concrete transfer.

Arsenal were initially linked with Osimhen towards the end of last season, but talks appeared to cool. However, on Thursday, reports emerged that the Gunners had contacted Galatasaray over the possibility of signing the prolific Nigerian striker.

A deal would be complicated for several reasons. For starters, it is already very late in the transfer window, meaning Galatasaray would have little time to find a like-for-like replacement if they decided to sell their star striker.

The situation could also create further problems for the Turkish champions. Super Lig rivals Fenerbahce, Besiktas and Trabzonspor have all made marquee signings this summer, while Galatasaray are yet to make a similarly significant splash in the transfer market.

Selling their best player at this stage of the window would therefore be a difficult decision, and Galatasaray’s supporters would almost certainly be unhappy.

But beyond all those roadblocks, the biggest issue is money.

Victor Osimhen’s High Valuation: Will €150 Million Be Enough?

Galatasaray have made their position on Victor Osimhen clear: they do not want to sell him. However, every player has a price, and a sufficiently attractive offer could eventually force the Turkish champions to reconsider their stance.

Galatasaray signed Osimhen from Napoli for €75 million last summer, and there have been reports that they have already rejected offers worth as much as €120 million for the Nigerian this summer.

That means any club hoping to prise Osimhen away from Istanbul would likely have to break the bank, with a fee in the region of €150 million potentially required to convince Galatasaray to sell.

For Arsenal, such an investment is financially possible. However, Osimhen’s injury history and occasional disciplinary issues could be factors the Gunners would have to consider carefully.

Then there is the biggest issue of all: his wages.

Victor Osimhen’s Expensive Wages: How Does He Rank Against Saka and Other Arsenal Stars?

According to Capology, Victor Osimhen earns a gross salary of €18.75 million per year at Galatasaray, which works out at approximately €360,577 per week.

If he were to move to Arsenal on the same salary, the Nigerian would become the club’s undisputed highest earner.

For now, Bukayo Saka is Arsenal’s highest-paid player, earning €18.27 million per year, or approximately €351,256 per week.

Kai Havertz is the second-highest earner, taking home €17.05 million annually, equivalent to around €327,885 per week.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard ranks fifth among the club’s highest earners, with an annual salary of €14.6 million, which equates to roughly €281,000 per week.

Meanwhile, first-choice striker Viktor Gyokeres earns €12.2 million per year, or approximately €234,171 per week.

It is important to note that the Arsenal salaries mentioned above are gross figures, meaning they are before tax. After tax, players reportedly take home just over 50% of their gross salaries.

Osimhen’s situation is different because of Turkey’s tax structure, meaning his net earnings represent a significantly higher proportion of his gross salary.

Will Arsenal Break Their Wage Structure for Osimhen?

With all of this in mind, it is clear that Arsenal would not only have to break the bank to sign Osimhen; they could also be forced to break their existing wage structure, particularly if the striker is unwilling to accept a pay cut.

The Gunners were reportedly prepared to stretch their wage structure when they were linked with Vinicius Junior earlier, but it remains to be seen whether they view Osimhen as a player worth making a similar financial commitment for.

With just two weeks remaining before the transfer window closes, Arsenal may soon have to decide whether Osimhen is worth the enormous financial gamble.

For Galatasaray, meanwhile, the message is simple: if Arsenal really want their star striker, they will have to pay a premium — and then convince Osimhen to make a significant financial sacrifice or make him the highest-paid player in north London.