Victor Osimhen is expected to be at the centre of another high-profile transfer saga this summer, but his path to the Premier League may depend less on form and more on finances.
After an explosive run in Italy and now Turkey, the Nigerian striker has once again proven his quality. The 2023 CAF Men’s Player of the Year has scored 28 goals and contributed 5 assists across all competitions this season, including a league-leading 20 goals for Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Lig.
Osimhen’s loan move to Istanbul came following a public falling out with Napoli and the arrival of Romelu Lukaku at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. However, with no option to buy included in his Galatasaray loan, the Lagos-born striker is expected to return to Napoli at the end of the season, with the club reportedly open to a permanent sale.
A £55.5 million price tag is said to have been placed on the 26-year-old, but it may be his wage expectations, not the transfer fee, that becomes the stumbling block.
How wage demands stand between Victor Osimhen and his dream move
According to a report from ESPN, Osimhen is seeking a wage package worth £9.5 million per year after tax, approximately £360,000 a week before deductions. That figure would place him among the top earners in the Premier League and would likely alienate even top clubs like Manchester United and Chelsea.
Both clubs have tracked Osimhen closely. United, in particular, are expected to be in the market for a new striker after disappointing campaigns from Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee.
Chelsea, too, are in need of a proven goalscorer, but neither club is keen to stretch their wage bill amid ongoing efforts to balance spending and long-term planning.
For Osimhen, this summer represents a pivotal moment. At 26, he’s in his prime, and few strikers in Europe offer his combination of power, movement, and finishing. But if his financial expectations remain as reported, the move he wants may slip away.
Should he prioritise playing in the Premier League, still regarded as the pinnacle of club football, a recalibration of his demands might be necessary. Otherwise, he risks being priced out of the market he seems to covet most.
The question is no longer whether Victor Osimhen is good enough for England’s elite. It’s whether he’s willing to compromise to get there.
