Arsenal in talks over £77m Victor Osimhen deal, with the Nigerian to leave Napoli this summer: report

Arsenal target Victor Osimhen of SSC Napoli during the Serie A TIM match between SSC Napoli and Juventus FC at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona Naples Italy on 3 March 2024.
Victor Osimhen is close to moving to Arsenal (Image credit: Franco Romano/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Arsenal are in talks over a huge deal to bring Victor Osimhen to the Emirates Stadium – and the Gunners are “confident” of the move happening.

Mikel Arteta's team are the top scorers in the Premier League this season but have lacked real firepower in attack. Gabriel Jesus has spent much of the season injured, while Eddie Nketiah has lost his place as the Brazilian's backup, with Kai Havertz preferred in attack.

A striker is said to be high on the agenda for Arsenal this summer, and it seems as if Arteta is looking to shop at the very top table, with Osimhen tracked by a number of elite European sides. 

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 08: Gabriel Jesus of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on October 08, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Gabriel Jesus has had a tough season (Image credit: Getty Images)

Il Mattino in Italy are reporting that Arsenal have opened talks over a move for the Napoli hitman and are at the front of the queue to sign him, following club president Aurelio De Laurentiis's confirmation earlier this season that his No.9 will leave this summer

It has been claimed all season that this will be Osimhen's final in Italy, having clinched the Scudetto last season, with the north Londoners one of the primary suitors to sign the Nigerian.

Italian outlet CalcioNapoli have previously relayed claims from journalist Ciro Venerato that Arsenal have established contact with Osimhen, with a fee of £77m – much lower than the previously stated release clause – touted as enough to secure the star. In FourFourTwo's view, however, it is incredibly unlikely that a breakthrough on this transfer will be reached at least until the summer. 

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta arrives for a training session on the eve of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match against FC Porto, at the Arsenal Training centre, in Shenley, in Hertfordshire, England, on March 11, 2024.

Arsenal will have to work hard to get this deal over the line – even if terms have been agreed (Image credit: ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Osimhen may well have agreed terms on a move himself – but the real test for Arsenal will be negotiating with De Laurentiis, who drives a hard bargain.

Osimhen is valued at €110m by Transfermarkt

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Mark White
Content Editor

Mark White is the Digital Content Editor at FourFourTwo. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robson’s time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer.