Report: Arsenal still in Victor Osimhen transfer race this summer

Despite their recent scoring upturn, Arsenal are very much expected to sign a big-name striker this summer and can't be ruled out of the Victor Osimhen, according to reports.

A barren end to 2023 led to many supporters crying out for the addition of a #9 in the January transfer window, but the Gunners, who opted against making a single winter move, have seen their inactivity vindicated.

Despite Gabriel Jesus' injury setback, Arsenal have scored 25 goals in their previous six Premier League outings. Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz have shared the burden operating as Mikel Arteta's #9 in recent weeks, while Bukayo Saka has continued to produce at a relentless rate in the final third.

Still, the feeling that Arteta's project could go up a gear with the addition of a prolific #9 remains prevalent.

Arsenal still in Victor Osimhen transfer race this summer

The club has been linked with a whole host of names in recent weeks and months. Heading into the January window, the likes of Dusan Vlahovic, Benjamin Sesko, Ivan Toney, and Joshua Zirkzee were touted as potential options for Arsenal.

Napoli's Osimhen has also intrigued supporters, although links to the Nigerian have so far been pretty tenuous. The striker, who played a major role in Napoli's Scudetto success last season, has garnered plenty of interest from across Europe and is expected to leave Italy this summer despite recently signing a contract extension in Naples.

According to Ben Jacobs (via @afcstuff), while Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea are keen on signing the Napoli forward at the end of the season, Arsenal are still in the race to sign the Nigerian star. Despite PSG's interest, Osimhen favours a move to the Premier League, bolstering the Gunners' chances.

And while Chelsea boast the finances to acquire Osimhen, Arsenal is surely a more attractive proposition for the 25-year-old. The striker wouldn't demand a salary that'd break the Gunners' wage structure, but they would likely have to spend in excess of £100m to bring him to north London.

Thus, any deal for Osimhen, who has scored eight goals in 14 Serie A appearances this term, would reduce Arteta's chances of bolstering other areas of his squad.

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