Galatasaray have rejected a swap offer from Arsenal involving striker Viktor Gyökeres plus €30m in a bid to sign Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen, Paparazzi Sports reports.
Turkish journalist Ömer Faruk Özcan, via Nexus Sports, reported that senior Arsenal officials travelled to Istanbul to convince the Turkish champions to part with their prized striker, but the Turkish giants dismissed the proposal outright.
Galatasaray regard Osimhen, who is also being tracked by Tottenham, as one of the most valuable players in world football and insist they will not negotiate unless an offer meets their valuation, reported to be between €130m and €150m.
The club’s confidence is anchored on Osimhen’s form since arriving in Istanbul. The Nigeria international has scored 59 goals and provided sixteen assists in 74 appearances across all competitions, numbers that have powered Galatasaray to back-to-back Turkish Super Lig titles and established them as regular Champions League contenders. He has also become a fan favourite under coach Okan Buruk.
Arsenal’s interest is not new, with sporting director Andrea Berta having previously visited Istanbul to monitor Osimhen, and the renewed approach comes amid questions over Gyökeres’ adaptation since his move from Sporting CP in 2025.
Convincing Galatasaray to sell remains an uphill task. Osimhen signed a permanent four-year contract in July 2025 running until June 2029, reportedly the biggest financial package ever handed to a player in Turkish football, worth about €21m net per season through salary, loyalty bonuses and image-rights payments.
Galatasaray paid Napoli €75m to complete the transfer, with the Italian club retaining a ten per cent sell-on clause, while a separate agreement bars Galatasaray from selling Osimhen back to an Italian club before 2027 without facing a heavy financial penalty.
Despite the speculation, Osimhen has shown no signs of forcing a move, having held positive discussions with Buruk and club executives before returning for pre-season training.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has also reported that the situation remains under control, with the Nigerian said to be happy in Istanbul unless an English club presents an exceptional proposal.
