Arsenal’s search for a prolific striker appears to have taken another interesting turn, with reports linking the Premier League champions with a move for Nigeria international Victor Osimhen.
The Gunners have reportedly opened discussions with Galatasaray over a potential deal for the 27-year-old forward, with Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri reportedly among the players who could be involved in a possible exchange. The overall value of the proposed deal has also been reported in the region of £65 million.
However, while Arsenal’s interest in Osimhen is understandable, getting the deal over the line could be considerably more complicated than simply agreeing a transfer fee.
Osimhen is not a player Galatasaray need to sell. In fact, the Turkish champions have built a significant part of their sporting project around the Nigerian striker.
Galatasaray signed Osimhen permanently from Napoli in July 2025 for €75 million and handed him a four-year contract running until June 2029. The club’s official announcement also confirmed a net guaranteed salary of €15 million per season, alongside a €1 million loyalty bonus and €5 million per season in image-rights payments.
Earlier this year, Galatasaray president Dursun Özbek also stated that Osimhen’s contract contained no release clause, making the club’s negotiating position even stronger.
So, why could it be difficult for Arsenal to take Osimhen away from Istanbul this summer?
1. His wages could make the deal complicated
Osimhen is already one of the highest-paid players in Turkish football. Galatasaray’s official figures show that the striker is guaranteed a net €15 million per season, with additional loyalty and image-rights payments taking the potential annual package significantly higher.
That means Arsenal would not simply be negotiating a transfer fee with Galatasaray. They would also have to accommodate a salary package that reflects Osimhen’s status as one of Europe’s elite centre-forwards.
For Galatasaray, his current contract gives them little reason to reduce their demands. They spent €75 million to sign him permanently from Napoli only last summer and tied him down until 2029.
If Arsenal were to make a serious approach, the financial commitment could therefore extend well beyond the reported transfer valuation.
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There is also the question of whether Osimhen himself would accept terms that represent a significant change from the package he currently enjoys in Istanbul.
For Arsenal, signing Osimhen would already represent a major investment. Paying a substantial transfer fee while also matching or improving his existing financial package would make the deal considerably more expensive than the headline figure might suggest.
In other words, the reported £65 million figure may not tell the full financial story.
2. Osimhen’s relationship with Galatasaray and the supporters
Perhaps the most underestimated obstacle is the relationship Osimhen has developed with Galatasaray.
This is not a player who merely arrived in Turkey, scored goals and continued looking for his next destination.
Osimhen has repeatedly spoken about his happiness at Galatasaray and his relationship with the club, the manager, his teammates and the supporters.
In February, the striker said he was “very happy” at Galatasaray and explained that both he and his family had been made to feel welcome by the club. He specifically said that he loved the club, his coach and the supporters.
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That relationship became even more evident during Galatasaray’s Champions League campaign.
Ahead of their Champions League meeting with Liverpool in March, Galatasaray supporters prepared an emotional tribute to Osimhen that referenced his late mother and his journey from childhood to becoming an elite footballer.
The moment visibly moved the striker.
After the match, Osimhen described the Galatasaray supporters as a family and explained how important their support had become to him.
That emotional connection matters.
Football transfers are increasingly driven by finances and sporting ambitions, but players can also develop strong personal relationships with clubs and supporters. In Osimhen’s case, Galatasaray appears to have given him something beyond a contract: a sense of belonging.
That makes Arsenal’s task more complicated.
Of course, a strong relationship does not make a transfer impossible. But it means Galatasaray can negotiate from a position of strength, while Arsenal would have to convince the player that leaving a club where he is already loved and central to the project is the right next step.
3. Galatasaray are heavily dependent on Osimhen
The sporting argument may be the strongest reason of all.
Osimhen is not simply another important player in the Galatasaray squad. He is arguably the focal point of their attack.
His goals provide the team with a significant advantage domestically and in Europe.
During the 2025/26 campaign, Osimhen scored 15 goals in 22 Süper Lig appearances and added seven goals in 10 Champions League matches, according to FBref’s competition records.
That level of production is extremely difficult to replace.
Galatasaray can find another striker. What is much harder is finding another player who can immediately provide Osimhen’s combination of pace, physicality, movement, finishing and ability to occupy defenders.
His importance becomes even clearer when the club’s current striker situation is considered.
Mauro Icardi, one of the most important forwards in Galatasaray’s recent history, left the club after his contract expired in July 2026. Icardi scored 77 goals in 134 appearances for Galatasaray and became one of the club’s modern icons.
With Icardi gone, losing Osimhen in the same transfer window would create an enormous hole in the squad.
It would not simply mean replacing one striker.
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It could mean replacing the two forwards who have carried a significant share of Galatasaray’s goals in recent seasons.
That is why a player-plus-cash proposal involving Martinelli and Nwaneri may not automatically solve Galatasaray’s problem.
Even if the Turkish champions were interested in the two Arsenal players, neither is a direct replacement for Osimhen’s role as a dominant central striker.
4. Time is against Galatasaray if they agree to sell
The timing of the proposed deal could be another major obstacle.
The summer transfer window is already approaching its final stages, meaning Galatasaray would have limited time to identify, negotiate for and integrate a replacement for Osimhen.
This is particularly important because Osimhen is not a squad player who can simply be replaced by promoting someone from the bench.
He is the team’s leading attacking reference point.
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If Galatasaray agree to sell him late in the window, they would potentially be entering the market with every selling club aware that they have just received a major transfer fee and desperately need a striker.
For Galatasaray, therefore, keeping Osimhen could actually be the safer sporting decision even if Arsenal present an attractive financial package.
5. Galatasaray’s investment in Osimhen gives them little reason to rush
There is also a strategic reason for Galatasaray to resist the temptation to sell.
The club did not acquire Osimhen cheaply. Galatasaray paid Napoli €75 million for the Nigerian, making the transfer one of the biggest investments in the club’s history. They also committed to a long-term contract and a substantial salary package.
That investment was made because Galatasaray viewed Osimhen as a player capable of helping them compete at the highest level.
The striker has since justified that faith with his performances and as a result, Galatasaray do not necessarily need to sell him simply because another major European club has shown interest.
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Recently, club president Dursun Özbek was emphatic that there was no release clause in Osimhen’s contract and described the striker as a highly successful player who could serve the club for many years.
That statement is important because it reveals Galatasaray’s negotiating position and it proved they are not under contractual pressure to accept a predetermined fee.
Conclusion
There is no question that Arsenal’s interest in Victor Osimhen would be flattering for the Nigerian striker and a major talking point in the transfer market.
But interest is one thing; completing the transfer is another.
Galatasaray have Osimhen under contract until 2029, have no reported release clause to force their hand, invested €75 million to sign him permanently and are paying him a significant salary.
