Victor Osimhen has stopped short of dismissing the prospect of leaving Galatasaray, keeping Arsenal's hopes alive despite the Turkish club's president insisting the Super Eagles striker will not be sold.
The 27-year-old forward spoke to reporters after Galatasaray were held to a 2-2 draw by newly-promoted Corum FK at Rams Park on Friday, a result that visibly frustrated the striker.
Osimhen's Measured Response to Arsenal Speculation
Osimhen scored both of his side's goals on the night but still walked to the ultras' section at full time to apologise for the dropped points. When asked directly about the Arsenal speculation, Osimhen gave a carefully measured response rather than a flat denial, per GOAL.
"There are always rumours during the transfer windows. I'll focus on my job. I'm focused on my work. We'll see and think about what comes next then," he said.
Galatasaray President Draws a Hard Line
While Osimhen left a window open, the position from Galatasaray's top brass is far less ambiguous. According to Football London, club president Dursun Ozbek has reportedly told insiders in no uncertain terms that the Nigerian striker will not be leaving Istanbul under any circumstances.
"I will not say 'yes' to any transaction that will harm Galatasaray or not benefit Galatasaray. What I said about Baris Alper Yilmaz, I am now saying even more strongly about Osimhen. No matter how much the price is, I am not selling Osimhen," Ozbek reportedly said.
That stance is understandable given what the Nigerian has meant to the club. Osimhen scored 22 goals in all competitions last season, including 15 in the league as Galatasaray claimed the title.
Osimhen remains under contract at Rams Park until June 2029.
Arsenal's Search for a Striker Continues
The interest from North London comes at a time when Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is actively working to add more firepower to his squad. The Premier League champions brought in Bruno Guimaraes as their marquee summer signing and added Christos Tzolis as cover following Leandro Trossard's departure, but they were unsuccessful in pursuing Vinicius Junior and Morgan Rogers.
Reports from Turkey suggest Arteta remains determined to sign Osimhen, with the option of landing Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez also appearing increasingly unlikely. It has further been claimed that Arsenal raised the possibility of signing the former Napoli striker during discussions that involved deals for Gabriel Martinelli and teenage prospect Ethan Nwaneri.
With Osimhen's own words leaving the situation open and his club digging in, a transfer battle of considerable complexity appears to be taking shape as the window progresses.
Arsenal Prepare Offer for Osimhen
Legit.ng previously reported about Osimhen's potential move from Galatasaray to Arsenal, discussing the ongoing negotiations involving two Arsenal players.
If the Premier League champions successfully secure the striker, it could significantly bolster their attacking options and reignite their title ambitions, particularly given Osimhen's impressive track record of 59 goals in 74 appearances for Galatasaray.
