Victor Osimhen makes Arsenal and Chelsea January arrangement despite Galatasaray loan

Posted Wednesday, September 04, 2024 by Express.co.uk

Victor Osimhen could still join Arsenal or Chelsea before the end of the season.

Victor Osimhen makes Arsenal and Chelsea January arrangement despite Galatasaray loan
Victor Osimhen could still join Arsenal or Chelsea before the end of the season (Image: GETTY)

Victor Osimhen reportedly demanded a break clause as part of his loan deal with Galatasaray that would allow him to join Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool in January. Osimhen has joined the Turkish giants on loan after failing to secure a permanent move away from Napoli on deadline day.

Chelsea and Al-Ahli both entered talks with Napoli in the final hours of the window but were unable to secure Osimhen's signature. The Blues found themselves at an impasse in negotiations and did not manage to reach a compromise before the window slammed shut.

Al-Ahli, meanwhile, initially agreed a deal with Napoli before the Italian giants moved the goalposts by demanding more money. They eventually decided not to go ahead with the move, instead opting to sign Ivan Toney from Brentford.

Osimhen went on to join Galatasaray on a temporary basis, with the Turkish outfit paying his full salary of £176,000 per week in return for no loan fee. However, the Nigeria international has reportedly left the door open for a move to the Premier League in January.

While negotiating with Galatasaray, he demanded that his loan deal be terminated in January if he receives an approach from Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool, according to A Spor. It is said that German giants Bayern Munich also feature on the list of specified clubs.

Meanwhile, it has been reported by Fabrizio Romano that Napoli have lowered Osimhen's release clause to around £63.2million. They will have the option to extend the striker’s contract until 2027 if he is not sold next summer, with his current deal set to expire in 2026.

Osimhen had been pushing to leave Napoli since the start of the summer after informing the club of his desire to take up a new challenge. He was left out of every pre-season game by head coach Antonio Conte, who made it clear that Osimhen had played his last match for Napoli.

Speaking after their win over Parma last weekend, Conte said: "This is the team. This is the group. We made decisions. I mentioned coherence before. Those who are not consistent don’t respect the rules. I repeat, respect to the club.

"The president proved consistent despite losing important money, credit where credit is due. The club were consistent, knowing that if the situation had unlocked earlier, we would all have been advantaged. As I said, we’ve started rebuilding.

"Good players arrived. They were on the table. It took us time to understand and think about it, but we signed them and I am happy. We didn’t do everything and it’s okay but I think the club did well."