Victor Osimhen: Why Galatasaray held firm despite Arsenal and Barcelona interest

Victor Osimhen’s decision to remain at Galatasaray may have ended the latest chapter of transfer speculation around the Nigerian striker, Afrik-Foot reports.

For much of the summer, Osimhen was linked with some of Europe’s biggest clubs. Arsenal were rumoured to be interested in adding the Nigerian to their attack, while Barcelona considered him as an alternative after their difficulties in landing Julián Álvarez.

On the surface, the interest made sense. Osimhen is one of Europe’s most prolific centre-forwards, while his physicality, movement and ability to consistently threaten the penalty area make him an attractive option for clubs looking for a proven goalscorer.

Yet Galatasaray weren’t even remotely interested in negotiating a departure for the 2023 CAF Player of the Year.

That is important because the situation is very different from the uncertainty that surrounded Osimhen during his final months at Napoli. In Istanbul, the Nigerian has found a club that not only values his goals but has built part of its sporting identity around him.

Galatasaray do not need to sell Victor Osimhen

The biggest reason Galatasaray could resist Arsenal and Barcelona is that they had very little incentive to sell.

The Turkish champions paid Napoli €75 million to make Osimhen’s move permanent in July 2025 and secured the striker on a contract running until 2029. That gives the club both long-term control and the financial security to reject approaches that do not meet its expectations.

More importantly, Osimhen is understood to be happy in Istanbul. A source close to the player told Footy-Africa that Osimhen is “happy at Galatasaray” and described him as an integral part of the club’s project.

That changes the dynamics considerably because Galatasaray are not trying to convince an unhappy player to remain; they are trying to keep one of their most important players.

That distinction matters. A club can sometimes be forced into negotiations when a star player wants to leave. Galatasaray, however, have had neither the contractual pressure nor the sporting motivation to open that door.

Osimhen is central to Galatasaray’s project

The financial investment is only part of the explanation. Osimhen has become a key figure in Galatasaray’s recent success. His goals helped the club maintain their dominance domestically, while his performances in Europe have reinforced his reputation as a striker capable of influencing matches at the highest level.

His numbers underline that importance. Osimhen has scored 64 goals and provided 18 assists in 77 appearances for Galatasaray since joining the club.

Arsenal and Barcelona faced the same problem

Both clubs may have had legitimate reasons to pursue Osimhen, but admiration for a player does not automatically translate into availability.

Arsenal could offer the Premier League and the opportunity to compete at the highest level in England, while Barcelona could offer the prestige of playing at one of Europe’s most historic clubs, but neither could guarantee that Galatasaray would be willing to give up their leading striker.

Barcelona’s interest became more prominent after their pursuit of Alvarez encountered difficulties, with Osimhen emerging as one of the alternatives being considered.

That still did not change Galatasaray’s position. The Turkish club had already invested heavily in Osimhen, tied him down until 2029 and watched him become very influential.

Unless an offer was significant enough to alter the calculation, selling him would have created a sporting problem for a club with ambitions of competing domestically and in the Champions League.

The bigger picture for Osimhen

There is also a broader implication for Osimhen. For years, the conversation around the striker has centred on where he would eventually move after Napoli.

Now, it appears Galatasaray have transformed themselves from a temporary destination into a club capable of keeping him away from some of Europe’s biggest teams.

For Arsenal and Barcelona, the lesson is equally clear: Osimhen may remain an attractive target, but Galatasaray are simply not selling because they can afford to keep the striker, despite numerous huge offers, including a €130m offer from Al-Hilal.

They have a long-term contract, a happy player and a prolific striker at the centre of their project.

Until one of those three things changes, Galatasaray have every reason to keep saying no.