Osimhen's Future: Arsenal Move Clarified by Transfer Guru Amidst Speculation
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has dismissed widespread speculation linking Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen to Arsenal, confirming that Galatasaray considers him a key player and he is not for sale. Romano clarified that no negotiations ever took place, with initial rumors stemming from unrelated discussions about Gabriel Martinelli.
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has been the subject of intense transfer speculation this summer, particularly concerning a potential move to Arsenal. However, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has now provided crucial clarity on the future of the 27-year-old forward, firmly dismissing the swirling rumors.
Osimhen has been a focal point of the transfer market, especially after reports surfaced that Galatasaray had rejected a hefty €130 million offer from Al-Hilal, indicating their strong intent to retain their star player in Istanbul. Speculation linking him to Arsenal further intensified following suggestions that the Gunners had discussed the Nigerian during separate negotiations with Galatasaray regarding Gabriel Martinelli.
Despite these rumors, Romano, an Italian journalist, has unequivocally stated that there have been no negotiations between Arsenal and Galatasaray for Osimhen. He emphasized that the Turkish champions consider Osimhen a key and indispensable part of their strategic plans, making him effectively not for sale. Osimhen himself has further solidified Galatasaray's position with an outstanding start to the new campaign, having already netted five goals and provided two assists in his initial three Süper Lig appearances.
Addressing the speculation on his YouTube channel, Romano asserted, “Arsenal have never opened negotiations for Osimhen for one reason: Osimhen is not going anywhere. He is a crucial part of Galatasaray’s strategy. Osimhen is not for sale.” He further elaborated that Osimhen was never a realistic option for Arsenal or any other club at this stage of the transfer window, primarily because the player is content at Galatasaray and simply cannot leave.
This clarification serves as a significant blow to the growing excitement surrounding a potential Premier League move for Osimhen, especially given Arsenal's reported search for another striker before the transfer window concludes. Romano believes the initial Arsenal-Osimhen link originated from discussions between the two clubs concerning Brazilian forward Gabriel Martinelli, whom Galatasaray had considered for a transfer to Turkey.
However, Martinelli ultimately declined the move to Turkey. Subsequently, Galatasaray proceeded to sign Rafael Leao from AC Milan, which effectively brought an end to the Martinelli discussions and, consequently, also extinguished the widespread speculation regarding Victor Osimhen's rumored transfer to London.