Arsenal discuss move for deadly Alvarez alternative as Man Utd step aside
Arsenal are holding internal talks over whether to swoop for Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen, while Manchester United no longer have active interest in the player, a report has revealed.
Arsenal are on the hunt for a new centre-forward even though they spent £64million on Viktor Gyokeres last summer. The Gunners’ No 1 target is Julian Alvarez, who has told Atletico Madrid he wants to leave so he can compete for major honours such as the Champions League and Ballon d’Or.
But Alvarez has picked Barcelona as his dream destination. This, coupled with the fact Atleti are demanding upwards of €200m (£171m) for the Argentine, means Arsenal need to sound out other options.
One avenue Arsenal could go down is opening talks with Galatasaray for Osimhen, who has always dreamed of playing in the Premier League.
According to our friends at TEAMtalk, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have both been ‘internally discussing’ possible moves for Osimhen.
Man Utd are also long-term admirers of the Nigerian, but they have ‘cooled their interest’ due to the huge costs involved.
READ – Transfer rumour ranking: Osimhen ‘keen’ on Arsenal, new City offer before Chelsea deadline
That development has opened the door for either Arsenal or Spurs to bring Osimhen to England in what would be a stunning deal.
The report adds that nothing is advanced yet, so there is plenty of work to be done before Osimhen potentially joins Arsenal or Spurs.
Recent reports have suggested the 27-year-old might be available for as little as €65m (£55.5m), though Galatasaray will surely want closer to £100m given his standing as one of the best No 9s in Europe.
Osimhen’s contract runs for another three years, putting the Turkish giants in a strong negotiating position.
Victor Osimhen would be expensive for Arsenal or Tottenham
TEAMtalk’s report explains how Osimhen’s wage demands could prove to be an obstacle for Arsenal and Spurs.
He is thought to want around £400,000 a week to move to the Premier League. Indeed, Osimhen’s wage demands were what disrupted his proposed switch to Chelsea in 2024.
Given Arsenal already have Gyokeres up front, it would probably make more sense for sporting director Andrea Berta to focus all his efforts on securing Mikel Arteta a new left winger instead.
The Gunners have already missed out on Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior this summer. They are interested in Bradley Barcola, but Liverpool are currently in pole position for the Frenchman.
Arsenal may therefore have to step up their interest in Nico Williams, Kenan Yildiz or Iliman Ndiaye.
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