Galatasaray have turned down a substantial offer from Saudi Pro League giants Al Hilal for star striker Victor Osimhen, according to a report from Sky Sports in Germany. The Turkish champions rebuffed the reported €130million (£111million) proposal and have signalled they have no interest in opening negotiations for the 27-year-old Nigerian forward, regardless of the fee on the table.
The development comes amid a separate, and somewhat unexpected, twist involving Arsenal. The Premier League champions have been in discussions with Galatasaray over Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli, with the Turkish side reportedly tabling a £38million bid for the 25-year-old. Gala are now waiting to hear back, though it remains uncertain whether Martinelli himself would be willing to relocate to Istanbul should the two clubs strike a deal.
According to the Telegraph, Osimhen's name was mentioned during those very talks between Arsenal and Galatasaray, which also touched on the potential transfer of teenager Ethan Nwaneri in the opposite direction. It is not yet clear whether it was Arsenal's sporting director, Andrea Berta, who raised the possibility of Osimhen moving to north London, or whether Galatasaray themselves floated the idea of offering the striker to the English champions. Either way, the mere mention of Osimhen's name in the context of a move to the Emirates has raised eyebrows, especially given Galatasaray's firm stance on rejecting the Al Hilal offer just days earlier.
Osimhen has established himself as one of the most sought-after forwards in world football, having enjoyed a prolific spell in Turkey after his move from Napoli. His combination of pace, physicality and finishing has made him a target for clubs across Europe and the Middle East, but Galatasaray appear determined to keep hold of their prized asset, at least for now, rejecting the lucrative Saudi approach outright.
For Arsenal, the pursuit of attacking reinforcements remains a priority as the transfer window edges toward its close. Manager Mikel Arteta has been candid about the difficulty of finding the right profile of player to elevate his squad, acknowledging that the market for genuine game-changers is limited.
"I think for the margins to improve, there are very few players in the market that are available to do that and bring that to the club," Arteta said. "But again, we are actively looking to improve that and we're going to try."
The Arsenal boss's comments suggest that while the club are exploring multiple avenues, including a potential deal involving Martinelli and Galatasaray, nothing is guaranteed before the deadline arrives. Whether Osimhen's situation develops into a genuine transfer saga involving Arsenal remains to be seen, particularly given Galatasaray's public refusal to engage with even a nine-figure offer from Al Hilal.
As it stands, the situation remains fluid. Galatasaray are still weighing up their response to Arsenal's interest in Martinelli, while continuing to fend off external interest in Osimhen. Arsenal, for their part, appear focused on strengthening their attacking options by whatever means possible, even if that means exploring unconventional pathways through ongoing negotiations with the Turkish outfit.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.