Arsenal handed Osimhen boost as confidence grows striker would accept Emirates move

Arsenal have been handed further encouragement in their pursuit of Victor Osimhen, with confidence in Turkey that the striker would accept a move to the Premier League champions if the Gunners make a serious attempt to sign him.

The 27-year-old remains at Galatasaray for now, but Arsenal have already held talks over a potential deal and the Turkish champions are reportedly looking for at least €70million.

No formal offer has yet been submitted, making Arsenal’s next move crucial.

Arsenal’s interest has moved beyond simply monitoring Osimhen.

Intermediary George Gardi has become involved, with talks already taking place between the two clubs over a potential summer transfer.

Osimhen has also refused to close the door on leaving Galatasaray.

“There are always rumours during transfer seasons,” the Nigerian recently said.

“I will focus on my job. I focus on my work. We’ll see and think about the future then.”

That leaves Arsenal with a potential opportunity if they decide to meet Galatasaray’s demands.

Turkish journalist Serdar Ali Çelikler believes there should be little concern about convincing Osimhen if Arsenal make a serious push.

Speaking about Galatasaray’s transfer situation, Çelikler claimed the Premier League would be extremely difficult for the striker to reject.

“There’s no way any Nigerian footballer would say ‘No’ to England, especially Arsenal,” he said.

“If Arsenal is serious, Osimhen will go.”

It is a strong claim rather than confirmation of Osimhen’s intentions, but it follows reports that the striker has not rejected the possibility of moving to the Emirates.

The bigger obstacle may therefore be reaching an agreement with Galatasaray.

Galatasaray are reportedly hoping to receive at least €70m for their star striker.

That represents a substantial investment for Arsenal, particularly with Arteta’s side already strengthening their squad this summer.

Osimhen’s numbers, however, explain why the Gunners remain interested.

He scored 22 goals and registered eight assists in 33 appearances last season, producing 30 direct goal contributions.

The former Napoli striker has also started the new campaign strongly, scoring twice in only 45 minutes of action.

His brace helped Galatasaray secure a 2-2 draw against Çorum FK on Friday.

There is another element which could become important in negotiations.

Galatasaray have struggled to generate significant income through departures this summer.

Nicolò Zaniolo’s permanent switch to Udinese has been their only sale so far, according to Çelikler, despite attempts to generate interest in other members of the squad.

A major Osimhen sale would therefore transform their summer financially, although losing their leading striker would obviously create a major sporting problem.

For Arsenal, the situation increasingly appears to depend on whether their interest turns into a formal offer.

Attention now turns to whether Arsenal convert their interest into an official bid.

The Gunners have established contact and Osimhen appears open to considering his future, but Galatasaray’s €70m valuation remains the major hurdle.

If Arsenal are prepared to approach that figure, negotiations could quickly become much more serious.

For now, Osimhen remains a Galatasaray player. But with the transfer window approaching its decisive stages, Arsenal have been given plenty of encouragement that convincing the striker himself may not be the difficult part.