Summary Arsenal's young squad, motivated by their close title race last season, have started the 2023/24 campaign positively, remaining unbeaten in the Premier League so far. The Gunners are in need of a top-quality striker to improve their chances of winning major silverware, with Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen identified as a potential target. Osimhen has an impressive scoring record, with 103 goals in 201 club appearances, including 65 goals in 111 appearances for Napoli in Serie A. His market value has almost doubled in 2023 alone, making him an expensive but worthwhile signing for Arsenal.
Arsenal have played host to a magnitude of talent over the years, with Mikel Arteta’s current crop of stars posing the potential to add to the rich history in north London.
The Spaniard’s young side fell agonisingly short to treble winners Manchester City last season in their quest for the Premier League title, with five points separating the top two in May.
This campaign marks 20 years since Arsene Wenger’s undefeated class of 2003/04 walked away as champions, which ironically also marks the last time that Arsenal were crowned the best in England.
With reference to being unbeaten, Arteta’s side have started the 2023/24 term in an encouraging light, and are yet to lose in the Premier League, telling of the youthful squad’s desire to right their wrongs of last season to once again challenge at the top.
The motivation to go again after the theatrics of the title race was revived in the summer, as Arsenal welcomed four new faces to the Emirates in the bid to close the gap on City, with over £200m spent to bolster the quality of the squad.
There is a long way to go with only eight games played so far in the 2023/24 league campaign, and seemingly a long way to go until Arteta’s squad is considered as perfected with the Spaniard suspected to already be considering his options in future markets.
Despite welcoming Gabriel Jesus last summer to good effect, the Gunners remain with just two recognisable out-and-out centre-forwards, with the Brazilian and Eddie Nketiah those trusted with the role of leading the line.
A new striker could be the margin that fires Arsenal to long-overdue major silverware, with reports suggesting the calibre of frontman the north Londoners could aim for.
Who could Arsenal sign in January?
As reported by renowned journalist David Ornstein via The Athletic’s Q&A segment, relayed by afcstuff on Twitter X, a host of potential names were listed as those that the club are “likely to be studying” along with other top sides.
Those named as potential hot spots in the window were Lautaro Martinez, Evan Ferguson, Benjamin Sesko, Victor Boniface and, perhaps most interestingly, Victor Osimhen.
The art of capturing an established goalscorer is not easy, but the rewards are monstrous, as highlighted by Manchester City’s signing of Erling Haaland last summer, who led the club to their treble win.
For Arsenal, the Gunners must now follow City’s path and look to recruit a top-quality striker, and it wouldn’t be the first time that Napoli sharpshooter Osimhen has been named in the same sentence as the north Londoners.
In August, a report from Football Transfers suggested that Arsenal were keen to sign the Nigerian in the summer of 2024, claiming that the club had held ‘initial talks’ over the 24-year-old’s career path.
There has recently been added speculation over the forward’s future in Naples, after a controversial video was posted by the club’s media team in relation to the forward, seeing the Nigerian delete his social media posts with affiliation to Napoli.
While the situation has been somewhat resolved between player and club, the hostility remains in what was a dire decision by the media team to sanction such a hideous post in the first place.
Only time will tell if further links to Arsenal and the Premier League materialise, however what is for sure is that whoever captures the forward’s signature next is a very lucky club.
How many goals has Victor Osimhen scored?
In a recorded 201 domestic career appearances, Osimhen has found the net 103 times at the age of just 24, reinforcing just how much of a potent presence he is in the final third.
Aside from Wolfsburg, where he began his career in Europe, the £90k-per-week Nigerian has enjoyed high-scoring streaks wherever he’s played, from Belgium to France to Italy.
Apps
Goals
Assists
Wolfsburg
16
0
0
RSC Charleroi
36
20
4
LOSC Lille
38
18
4
Napoli
111
65
15
Via Transfermarkt
Captured by Napoli from LOSC Lille for a reported €50m (£45m) in 2020, the former Ligue 1 talisman has moved mountains in Naples, securing the club the Serie A title last season with his contribution to 31 goals in 32 league appearances.
Scoring 26 and assisting five, Osimhen’s value rocketed as he won the league with Napoli, although it wasn’t the first time that he had experienced a high-scoring tally in Italy.
During his debut campaign in Serie A, the Nigeria international scored ten goals in 24 appearances, followed in the 2021/22 season by 14 goals in 27, all gearing up for his blockbuster individual term in 2022/23.
It’s not just domestically that the forward has made the headlines, as he continues to show his value to the national team, scoring 20 goals in 27 caps so far for the Super Eagles.
Once lauded as a “hitman” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Osimhen continues to show his worth game by game, having already scored six goals in eight Serie A appearances in 2023/24.
Napoli are well aware of the beast they captured for a mere price of £45m just three years ago, as his market value continues to rise and rise to the delight of the Azzurri.
What is Victor Osimhen’s market value?
In 2023 alone, Football Transfers has documented that the striker’s expected transfer value (xTV) has almost doubled.
As recorded in January 2023, the 24-year-old had an xTV of €42.8m (£37.1m), with his value this month said to be in the region of €81m (£70.2m), suggesting that if the Gunners are hoping to sign the talisman, a huge price must be summoned.
There was also talk of a €150m (£129m) price tag on Osimhen's head amid Saudi Arabian interest over the summer, thus ensuring that it may be a costly, albeit worthwhile deal for Arteta and co.
What could Victor Osimhen offer to Arsenal?
Previously dubbed “dangerous” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the threat that the potential arrival of Osimhen could give to the Gunners is undeniable.
A striker of his calibre would without question walk into Arteta’s squad as the first choice number nine, which could leave the Spanish manager opting to boldly ditch last summer’s signing, Jesus.
The Brazilian has added a lot to the front line at the Emirates, however the majority of his impact comes away from actually putting the ball in the net.
As a four-time Premier League winner, Arsenal added a player with sufficient experience in playing at the top level in England, yet what is still questionable is whether the former City forward is the level of clinical that will fire the Gunners beyond the reach of his old club.
Interestingly, the 26-year-old has never scored more than 14 goals in a Premier League season throughout his career in England, suggesting that he is far from being regarded as a decisive presence in the final third.
City recognised that the Brazil international had to be replaced in order to reach new heights, and in welcoming Erling Haaland ahead of him, Pep Guardiola’s side won the treble with a striker capable of scoring 52 goals in the season.
Victor Osimhen
Gabriel Jesus
Appearances
32
26
Goals
26
11
Big chances missed
24
16
Goal conversion %
19%
14%
Scoring frequency
99 min
189 min
All figures via Sofascore
As highlighted in the table above, Osimhen could give Arsenal what Haaland has given City in place of Jesus, with the objective for Arteta’s side being targeting major silverware.
The Nigerian is far more ferocious in front of goal than the Brazilian, as indicated by their form last season, with all signs pointing to the 24-year-old having the potential to usurp the former City whiz at the Emirates.
As the January transfer window grows closer, speculation will continue to arise, as the theme remains that Arsenal must sign an assured talisman if they are to challenge at the very top under Arteta.