Victor Osimhen has been linked with a move to Arsenal in recent weeks with his future at Napoli looking uncertain after leaving on loan to Galatasaray last summer
Osimhen is being tipped as a potential target for Arteta to address his striker problems.
Victor Osimhen could be the answer to Mikel Arteta’s transfer market woes – nearly ten years after he turned down a move to Arsenal as a youngster.…CONTINUE READING
The Napoli forward, currently on loan at Galatasaray, has had a successful season so far in Turkey, netting 14 goals across all competitions and helping the reigning champions maintain their top-league position.
His temporary spell with the Turkish titans came about after unsuccessful transfers to Al-Ahli and Chelsea last summer. This resulted in the Nigerian international being excluded from first-team training with the Italian heavyweights, under the orders of Napoli manager Antonio Conte.
With the 26-year-old’s future hanging in the balance upon his return to Naples this summer, Osimhen is being tipped as a potential target for Arteta to address his striker problems.
With injuries plaguing Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus, the Gunners boss is lacking in lethal attacking options. A move for Osimhen would come almost a decade after he declined a transfer to the north London club, choosing instead to sign for Wolfsburg, reports the Mirror.
At the age of 17, the forward caught the attention of the Bundesliga team after securing the top scorer award at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup—which Nigeria won—and signed for the club in January 2017.
Hotshot Osimhen snubbed a move to the north London club, opting instead for Wolfsburg to hone his skills. Speaking to BBC Sport, he said: “It’s ‘true’ that a big team like Arsenal wanted me and I feel honoured to be invited over.
Victor Osimhen won the Serie A title with Napoli in the 2022/23 season
“But personally I feel Wolfsburg is a ladder for me to reach my professional goals. Yes Arsenal is a good team for young players but Wolfsburg is the best club for me. This the best place for me to learn and develop because my heart is here with Wolfsburg.
“The club’s plan for my career is very encouraging and I believe with God on my side I can grow to become one of the best players in the world.” Meanwhile, Arteta has hinted at a possible change in Arsenal’s transfer strategy due to a spate of injuries, suggesting they might need to sign a new striker sooner rather than later.
“We never just plan ‘a window’,” he admitted. “We have a plan, we look at the squad, how we are going to evolve it, what we have in the academy, how we are going to change and adapt.
“From there, what you plan and the picture that we have… either we are really bad at planning or nobody could see we would have that many injuries. You have to adapt whatever the plan is.”
Osimhen failed to score a single goal for Wolfsburg in his 16 appearances but found a home at Lille, netting 18 times in 38 matches, catching the attention of Napoli. He’s netted an impressive 76 times in 133 games for the Italian club but is destined for a permanent move elsewhere in the summer.
