Galatasaray Tipped to Accept Arsenal’s £60m Offer for Victor Osimhen

By Yemi Odulana · Published August 17, 2026

The possibility of Victor Osimhen joining Arsenal has gained fresh momentum after reports suggested that Galatasaray could be prepared to consider an offer of more than £60 million for the Nigerian striker.

The latest development has intensified speculation over the future of the Super Eagles forward, who have emerged as one of the most sought-after strikers in European football. Arsenal have long been linked with Osimhen, but recent discussions between the Premier League champions and Galatasaray appear to have brought the potential transfer closer to the centre of the summer window.

According to Football Insider, an offer exceeding £60 million could be enough to persuade Galatasaray to enter serious negotiations over Osimhen. (Football Insider)

However, the reported asking price comes amid conflicting messages from Galatasaray, with club president Dursun Özbek publicly insisting that the striker is not for sale.

Arsenal steps up interest in Osimhen

Arsenal's interest in Osimhen is not new. The London club have been linked with the Nigeria international for several transfer windows as manager Mikel Arteta continues to search for greater firepower in attack.

The latest reports indicate that Arsenal's interest has become more concrete following discussions with Galatasaray over other players.

The two clubs have been negotiating potential deals involving Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri, with Osimhen's availability reportedly raised during those discussions. The Telegraph reported that Arsenal and Galatasaray discussed the striker as part of wider negotiations between the clubs. (The Telegraph)

This has created an unusual transfer situation in which negotiations over one player could potentially influence another major deal.

Reports also suggest that Arsenal may be considering a substantial financial package to convince Galatasaray to release Osimhen.

£60m could be enough

The central claim behind the latest transfer speculation is that £60 million or more could persuade Galatasaray to sell Osimhen.

Football Insider reported on August 15 that Arsenal would need to offer more than £60 million to have a realistic chance of signing the striker.

A subsequent report suggested that a bid above the £60 million mark could bring Galatasaray to the negotiating table. (CaughtOffside)

That figure would represent a significant investment for Arsenal, but the club's need for a prolific centre forward could make such a move attractive.

Osimhen has established himself as a proven goal scorer at the highest level and has already demonstrated his ability to adapt to different leagues and tactical systems.

For Arsenal, his combination of pace, strength, aerial ability and finishing could provide another dimension to Arteta's attack.

Galatasaray sends mixed signals

Despite reports of a potential £60 million sale, Galatasaray's public position has been considerably stronger.

Club president Dursun Özbek has reportedly insisted that Osimhen will not be sold this summer, regardless of the amount offered.

Football Transfers reported that Özbek had ruled out a sale of the striker and maintained that the club intended to keep him. (FootballTransfers)

The Turkish club's stance is understandable given Osimhen's importance to the team. After making his loan spell permanent, Galatasaray invested heavily to secure his services from Napoli, paying €75 million for the striker in 2025. (Wikipedia)

Osimhen subsequently became a major figure at the Istanbul club and helped reinforce Galatasaray's status as one of Turkey's leading teams.

Consequently, selling him after only a relatively short period could be difficult for the club unless the financial package is considered too attractive to reject.

Galatasaray previously rejected a huge offer

The strength of Galatasaray's position is also illustrated by reports that the Turkish champions previously rejected a much larger offer for Osimhen.

The Standard reported that Galatasaray rejected a £111 million bid from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal for the Nigerian striker earlier in the summer. (The Standard)

If accurate, that decision would make a potential £60 million Arsenal offer considerably more complicated.

It would raise the obvious question of why Galatasaray would consider selling Osimhen to Arsenal for approximately half the amount they previously rejected from Al-Hilal.

The answer could lie in the distinction between a reported price capable of triggering negotiations and an amount the club would ultimately accept.

In other words, £60 million may open discussions without necessarily guaranteeing a transfer.

Arsenal's attacking plans

Arsenal's pursuit of Osimhen comes as the club reassesses its attacking options.

The Gunners already have Viktor Gyökeres, but reports suggest that Arsenal remain interested in improving their options in the centre-forward position.

Osimhen would offer a different profile from several of Arsenal's current attacking players. His ability to stretch defensive lines with his pace could complement Arsenal's possession-based approach, while his physicality could provide an additional option against deep defensive blocks.

The Nigerian's reputation as a natural goalscorer is also a major attraction.

For a club competing for the Premier League title and seeking sustained success in the Champions League, adding another elite striker could be viewed as a major strategic investment.

Martinelli and Nwaneri could influence talks

The emerging Osimhen story is also linked to Arsenal's negotiations over Martinelli and Nwaneri.

Galatasaray have reportedly shown significant interest in Martinelli, with reports of an offer in the region of £38 million. However, the Brazilian winger has reportedly been reluctant to leave Arsenal for Turkey.

Nwaneri has also been linked with Galatasaray, while Arsenal have reportedly explored whether either player could form part of discussions surrounding Osimhen. TalkSPORT reported that the clubs' negotiations involve several players, with Osimhen's potential availability also being discussed. (TalkSPORT)

The possibility of a player-plus-cash arrangement could therefore add another layer to the negotiations.

Osimhen remains the key figure

For all the speculation surrounding the deal, the final decision will depend on several factors, including Galatasaray's valuation, Arsenal's willingness to meet it and Osimhen's own position.

Recent reports indicate that the striker has responded to the Arsenal speculation, although his comments have not completely ended the uncertainty surrounding his future. (Football365)

The situation is therefore far from settled.

There is a clear difference between reports claiming that £60 million could be enough to persuade Galatasaray to negotiate and confirmation that Arsenal have submitted an acceptable bid.

Transfer saga enters crucial stage

The latest reports have nevertheless transformed Osimhen's potential move to Arsenal from long-standing speculation into one of the more intriguing transfer stories of the summer.

A fee of more than £60 million could reportedly persuade Galatasaray to consider a sale, while the Turkish club's president continues to insist that the Nigerian striker is not available.

That contradiction means the coming days could be decisive.

If Arsenal decide to test Galatasaray's resolve with a substantial offer, the Turkish champions will have to choose between retaining one of their most important players and accepting a potentially significant financial windfall.

For Osimhen, meanwhile, a move to Arsenal would represent a return to the Premier League transfer spotlight and an opportunity to compete at the highest level of English football.

For now, however, £60 million appears to be a reported negotiating threshold rather than a confirmed transfer fee. Until Arsenal makes an official bid and Galatasaray respond, the future of one of Nigeria's biggest football stars remains uncertain.