Arsenal Chases Napoli’s Osimhen, Uncertainty Surrounds Nketiah’s Future
In the world of football, Arsenal are making headlines as they refuse to give up on signing Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who has also been linked to Chelsea. Meanwhile, the future of Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah remains uncertain.
Since the start of last season, Arsenal have been linked with several strikers, including Brentford’s Ivan Toney and new Manchester United player Joshua Zirkzee. RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko was initially at the top of Mikel Arteta’s wish list, but the Slovenian decided to stay with the German club and is likely to move in 2025.
The unconvincing form of Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus up front had created the narrative that Arsenal were desperate for a new No. 9 to help them in their bid for a Premier League title. However, Kai Havertz’s successful transition into a No. 9 role for Chelsea in the second half of last season has flipped the narrative, with Arsenal now focusing on prioritizing a new defender and midfielder.
Despite this shift in focus, Arsenal are reportedly not giving up on signing Napoli’s Osimhen. The Nigerian international has also been strongly linked with Chelsea, but reports from Italy suggest that Arsenal “has made a leap forward to buy Osimhen” this summer. However, the player “does not seem very convinced of the Arsenal solution” due to his alleged “agreement with Paris Saint-Germain” and his desire to move to the French club.
Furthermore, Napoli “does not intend to go below 100 million euros (£85.6m) for its striker,” a figure that Arsenal are reportedly reluctant to pay. Osimhen’s expected departure from the 2022/23 Serie A champions has strengthened Chelsea’s hand in negotiations, as the Blues have shown interest in Napoli’s Romelu Lukaku.
As for Nketiah, Marseille have been working on a deal to sign the 25-year-old, but Arsenal have knocked back three offers, holding out for around £30m. However, the Gunners are now said to want “closer to £50m” for the academy graduate, who has reportedly agreed personal terms with the French club. Despite this, a deal is no longer expected to come to fruition, with Borussia Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko closing in on a move to Marseille.
Arsenal manager Arteta is a fan of Nketiah and is “more than happy to keep him at the club” if his valuation is not met by interested parties. The report claims that the Gunners are “in no rush to sell and are happy to keep him” at the club, unless Arteta decides he wants a new striker this summer.
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