Arsenal Eyeing Victor Osimhen Move Amid Financial Concerns

Arsenal have opened internal discussions over a move for Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen, with Manchester United stepping away from the race due to the scale of the financial package required.

The North London club are still scouring the market for a centre-forward despite last summer’s £64million outlay on Viktor Gyokeres. Their ideal signing remains Julian Alvarez, who has informed Atletico Madrid he wants out in pursuit of the game’s biggest prizes, including the Champions League and Ballon d’Or.

There is a problem. Alvarez has his heart set on Barcelona. On top of that, Atletico are said to be demanding upwards of €200m (£171m) for the Argentine. That combination has forced Arsenal to explore alternatives.

Osimhen is one of them.

The Nigerian, who has long spoken of his ambition to play in the Premier League, is now being seriously weighed up at the Emirates, with Tottenham Hotspur also holding internal talks over a potential bid, according to TEAMtalk. United, once heavily linked and long-term admirers, have cooled their interest because of the overall cost of any deal.

That retreat from Old Trafford leaves the path clearer for Arsenal or Spurs to make a statement move for one of Europe’s most feared No 9s. At this stage, though, nothing is advanced. No formal offers, no negotiations at full tilt. Just conversations, calculations and a lot of work ahead if either club want to turn intrigue into ink on a contract.

The numbers will be brutal. Recent reports have floated the idea that Osimhen might be prised away for as little as €65m (£55.5m), but Galatasaray are under no pressure to fold. With three years left on his deal and his status as their star centre-forward, the Turkish champions are expected to push for a fee closer to £100m.

And that is only half the equation.

Osimhen’s wage demands are understood to sit around the £400,000-a-week mark for a Premier League move. Those figures helped derail his proposed switch to Chelsea in 2024 and could easily do the same to Arsenal or Tottenham if they decide the package is simply too heavy for their wage structures.

For Arsenal, the question is not just “can they?” but “should they?” Having already invested heavily in Gyokeres, there is a strong argument that sporting director Andrea Berta might be better served channelling resources into a top-class left winger for Mikel Arteta instead of another marquee striker.

That search has already been frustrating. The Gunners have missed out on Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior this summer. They like Bradley Barcola, but Liverpool currently lead that chase, leaving Arsenal to reassess their wide options once again.

Nico Williams, Kenan Yildiz and Iliman Ndiaye are all on the radar as potential solutions out wide. The dilemma is clear: double down on firepower through the middle with a blockbuster move for Osimhen, or spread the budget to finally land the left-sided threat Arteta has been chasing.

One decisive call in the coming weeks will reveal exactly how Arsenal see the next phase of this project.