Arsenal warned over Victor Osimhen transfer as Alan Smith raises fresh doubts

Victor Osimhen has the goals to make any top club interested, but Arsenal legend Alan Smith is not convinced the Nigerian striker is the right fit for Mikel Arteta’s team, Soccernet.ng reports.

Reports have linked Arsenal with a move for the Galatasaray forward as the summer transfer window approaches its September 1 deadline.

Osimhen’s numbers make the transfer story easy to understand. He scored 22 goals in 33 appearances for Galatasaray in all competitions during the 2025-26 season. That included 15 goals in 22 Turkish Super Lig matches and seven goals in 10 Champions League games.

His first season in Turkey was even more productive. Osimhen scored 32 goals in 37 appearances for Galatasaray during the 2024-25 campaign. He also scored 26 league goals in 30 Super Lig games.

Before that, he had already proved himself in Italy with Napoli. Osimhen, who is open to leaving Galatasaray, netted 65 Serie A goals during his Napoli career, including the period in which he helped the club win the 2022-23 Serie A title.

Smith, however, has questioned whether Osimhen is the type of striker Arsenal should sign.

“I don’t know how much truth there is in that,” Smith told the Gooners News. “When Osimhen went from Napoli to Galatasaray, I think most people probably thought, oh, his chance to go to the Premier League may be over there. But he can score goals.”

That last point is important. Smith is not questioning Osimhen’s ability to find the net. His doubt is about whether Arsenal need to spend heavily on a striker whose main strength is scoring when the club may be looking for a more complete fit for Arteta’s football.

Do Arsenal need Osimhen?

So Smith’s argument is not that Osimhen lacks the quality to play in England. It is that Arsenal must decide exactly what they want from their centre forward.

“I think Arsenal do need a centre forward; it’s getting the right one, so that’ll be an interesting one to see how it develops, if it does develop.”

That distinction could be central to Arsenal’s decision. Arsenal already have Viktor Gyökeres, who joined from Sporting in July 2025 for an initial £55m plus possible add-ons. He arrived after scoring 97 goals in 102 matches during his two seasons at Sporting.

Kai Havertz also gives Arteta another option through the middle. Arsenal have used the Germany international as a centre forward in important Premier League matches, including the 3-1 win over Liverpool in February 2024 and the 4-1 win over Newcastle later that month.

Arsenal won the 2025-26 Premier League title with 85 points, seven points ahead of Manchester City. They also reached the Champions League final before losing to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties.

There is also a major financial issue involved in any Osimhen transfer. Galatasaray paid €75m for Osimhen and cover his wages which are above £300,000 a week. A deal would therefore require a major transfer fee and a salary close to Arsenal’s highest earners.

Osimhen could add speed, power, movement and a proven scoring record. His record in Italy and Turkey proves that he can produce goals at a high level. But Smith sees a more difficult decision behind the transfer talk.

“I don’t know. It wouldn’t strike me as an Arsenal signing, and I might be wrong.”

That leaves Arsenal with a clear choice. They can chase one of Europe’s proven goal scorers, or they can look for a forward whose overall game fits Arteta’s system more closely.