Arsenal are reportedly set to walk away from their pursuit of Victor Osimhen, with the rising price tag of the Nigerian striker a problem for the Gunners.
According to Corriere del Mezzogiorno, as relayed by Sport Witness, Arsenal are set to cool their interest in Victor Osimhen as they may not be willing to pay Napoli’s high asking price, in the region of €120 million, for the striker. The Gunners may now look to acquire someone cheaper as the cost of missing out on the UEFA Champions League begins to affect their transfer plans.
Finishing fifth in the Premier League may have been an achievement, considering where the Gunners ended up in the previous two seasons. However, playing Europa League football also means missing out on Champions League money, affecting Arsenal’s transfer plans.
The north Londoners expected another big summer transfer window, and Mikel Arteta was likely to be handed a significant transfer kitty. Arsenal’s primary target was bringing in a top-draw striker, which would always cost a lot of money.
Arsenal are the latest club to re-think their position in their chase for a top-quality striker, and they are ready to end their interest in one of them. Many prominent names are on Arsenal’s shortlist, including Victor Osimhem. Many clubs covet the Nigerian frontman, but his high asking price has driven most suitors away.
Arsenal, too, might look the other way following Napoli’s demands to do a deal. Recent reports suggested the Serie A giants had rejected a €90 million bid from Arsenal. It indicated Napoli’s interest in keeping the striker while also hinting that the Gunners were willing to spend significantly on a new No.9.
The Serie A giants reportedly want around €120 million for Osimhen, which is deemed excessive by those at Arsenal. The north Londoners may have been open to paying such high prices had they qualified for the Champions League, which would have guaranteed them extra funds.
They might now look to finalise a deal for a striker who is cheaper and probably comes with a different profile to Osmihen. Recent reports have claimed that Arsenal had a bid for Gianluca Scamacca rejected, with the player not open to leaving Italy.
Arsenal may look to conclude a deal for Gabriel Jesus, but talks had cooled after the striker joined the Brazilian squad. The Gunners had been unwilling to pay the £55 million demanded by Manchester City, which looks considerably cheaper than what Napoli are asking for Osimhen.
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Meanwhile, Arsenal have reportedly agreed on personal terms with the Brazilian forward and may look to re-negotiate the price for Jesus with Manchester City. The attacker has one year left on his deal and will likely depart from the Etihad in the summer.
