Arsenal face Manchester United this afternoon.Arsenal face Manchester United this afternoon.
Arsenal face Manchester United this afternoon. | Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Victor Osimhen is believed to be wanted by multiple Premier League clubs this summer, including Arsenal and Manchester United.
Arsenal are reported to have struck an agreement with Napoli to pay £62 million to sign talisman Victor Osimhen this summer in head-turning news ahead of facing Manchester United in Premier League action on Sunday afternoon.
All eyes are on Old Trafford as the Red Devils host Mikel Arteta’s men. The Gunners picked up a convincing 7-1 win against PSV in Champions League action midweek but are looking to bounce back following a defeat to West Ham and draw against Nottingham Forest.
Come 4:30 pm, all attention will be on the pitch but ahead of kick off, it’s talk away from the playing field that hangs over the meeting. News of Arsenal’s supposed agreement over Osimhen is of relevance to Manchester United, with Ruben Amorim’s side also linked with the player.
Arsenal frontrunners for Victor Osimhen
Osimhen has long been touted as an option for Arsenal to end their ongoing search for a goalscorer. The player was linked with a move to the Premier League last summer but ended up heading on loan to Galatasaray, where he has plundered 22 goals in all competitions so far this season.
The striker is under contract with his parent club of Napoli until 2026, which has made a summer exit increasingly likely so that the Serie A giants can cash in on the star. TEAMtalk has claimed that Manchester United are challenging Arsenal to bring him to the Premier League.
However, fresh reports from the player’s home nation of Nigeria suggest that it is Arsenal who are poised to win the race. The Daily Trust claims that Arsenal have agreed a £62 million deal with Napoli, the figure built into his contract as a release clause. It remains to be seen whether negotiations with the player himself are successful but that would certainly be advantage to the London club in the transfer race.
.Arsenal have been found lacking in striking options this season. Injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz have not helped matters but, even before that, the Gunners lacked goalscoring threat at times.
Not only does Osimhen provide goals, but he has earned praise for his all-round game. When starring at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2024, Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro hailed the player as ‘fantastic’. He said: "He didn't score but he had a fantastic game. It is not easy to stop that guy. He created the first goal. He is fantastic for our team."
Mikel Arteta on failed January transfers
Arsenal tried to move for a striker in January, offering Aston Villa £45 million for the services of Ollie Watkins but seeing that rejected. Arteta backed the board despite failing to find a new recruit this year.
He said: "It doesn't depend on us. We have the intention, purpose and ambition to try to help the team and support the squad to be better and to finish the season really strong, and we are actively trying to do that
"I’m very confident with the work that the club is doing and exploring every single opportunity that we believe can have an impact on the team. That’s certainly the case and if we can agree something we will. If not, we won’t.
"We are trying everything that we can, but I don’t want to give any reassurance or not. I don’t know, it doesn’t depend only on us, so our intention is clear but the possibilities are affected by three parties."
In other news, this is the latest on Arsenal injury news ahead of Manchester United with potential return dates for Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.