Arsenal make Osimhen contact

Arsenal has allegedly reached out to Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, as the Premier League powerhouse steps up its pursuit of a clinical goal-scorer ahead of the new season.

Osimhen’s transfer from Lille to Napoli in 2020 has proven to be a resounding success, with the Nigerian forward boasting an incredible tally of 76 goals in all competitions.

Osimhen’s remarkable scoring ability has put him firmly on the radar of multiple Premier League giants, as well as continental heavyweights Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

However, Mikel Arteta’s side are not believed to be leading the race for his signature despite already touching base over a transfer. That’s after Gianluca Di Marzio told bettingexpert.com (via The Mirror) that no solid negotiations have taken place as of yet.

Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly made Osimhen one of their top targets this summer, as they look to fill the void left by Kylian Mbappe following his move to Real Madrid.

The Ligue 1 giants could be the only European club capable of luring him away from Napoli, although they are reluctant to meet his £112m release clause.

Despite heavy links with the player in recent years, Chelsea appear to be out of the running for Osimhen after showing little interest of late. It’s believed that Enzo Maresca prefers Atletico Madrid’s Samu Omorodion, but Alvaro Morata’s move to AC Milan has complicated that storyline.

Arsenal’s pursuit of Osimhen could intensify following comments made by Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho, who compared the Napoli striker to Chelsea legend Didier Drogba.

“He is of the same level as Drogba, but Didier didn’t dive. If Victor changes, then OK. I’d buy him if I was at a club with a lot of money,” Mourinho said.

With Chelsea stepping back and Manchester United having secured Dutch talent Joshua Zirkzee for £36.5m, there is room for the Gunners to make a run at Osimhen.

Arsenal has identified Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting CP and Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak as potential fallback options, should their efforts to sign Victor Osimhen ultimately fall short.

Securing the services of either Gyokeres or Isak won’t come cheap, though, as Sporting CP has inserted a substantial £84m release clause into the Swedish striker’s contract, while Newcastle United is holding out for a staggering £100m valuation for the Norwegian forward.

Punch