Arsenal Football Club is reportedly in talks with Victor Osimhen's agent for a potential summer transfer, as the club continues its striker hunt. The Gunners are keen to bolster their attack ahead of the new season after missing out on Benjamin Sesko.
The Nigeria international, currently playing for Napoli, is unlikely to stay with the Italian club for another season. This has prompted Arsenal to consider Joshua Zirkzee and Viktor Gyokeres as alternative striker options. However, it seems that their primary focus remains on securing Osimhen.
According to reports, Roma, Arsenal have already initiated discussions with Osimhen’s agent over a summer transfer. The Nigerian forward is set to leave Napoli this summer – a move suggested by Napoli club president Aurelio De Laurentiis earlier this year.
Premier League clubs eyeing Osimhen
Osimhen has attracted interest from several Premier League clubs including Chelsea and Arsenal who are looking to solve their centre-forward issues ahead of the new Premier League campaign. However, they are likely to face stiff competition from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Saudi Pro League clubs who also have shown interest in signing the one-time Serie A champion.
Nigeria legend Jay-Jay Okocha believes that Osimhens' talent puts him "in the same bracket with Kylian Mbappe". Meanwhile, Napoli has set its sights on Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku as their ‘main target’ replacement for Osimhen this summer.
After failing in their pursuit of Benjamin Sesko who signed a new deal with RB Leipzig, Mikel Arteta’s side are now forced into exploring other options during this transfer window. Their need for fresh attacking talent was highlighted by last season's lacklustre performances from Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus, who managed to score just nine Premier League goals combined.
Arsenal desperately need lethal striker upfront
Despite the disappointing season, Arteta confirmed last month that the Gunners have no intention of selling Jesus, who joined two seasons ago. On the other hand, Nketiah is looking to leave with multiple English sides showing interest in the Arsenal academy graduate.
Osimhen had a challenging past 12 months at Napoli as the club finished 10th in Serie A table. Despite this setback and scoring 11 fewer goals than his previous year, Osimhen remains a hot prospect for clubs seeking new talent.
Arsenal's pursuit of Victor Osimhen adds an exciting chapter to this summer's transfer saga. Whether they can secure his signature amidst competition from other top-tier clubs remains to be seen.
