Victor Osimhen has been thrust back into Barcelona’s transfer plans after the Catalan club hit a wall in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez.
Consequently, the Super Eagles striker’s name has resurfaced at Camp Nou just as Robert Lewandowski’s departure leaves Barcelona short of a top-level replacement up front.
Barcelona’s first choice all summer was Alvarez, however talks broke down after Atletico Madrid insisted they would not sanction a sale unless the Argentine’s full release clause, reported at €500 million, was triggered in full. As a result, that figure effectively killed off any realistic chance of a deal, forcing the reigning La Liga champions back to the drawing board.
Following this setback, Barcelona have since held talks with Bournemouth over French forward Elie Kroupi Jr, who scored 13 goals in 33 appearances last season. Bournemouth, meanwhile, are demanding €130 million for a player they signed for just €12 million a year earlier, a valuation that has made the deal difficult to progress. Should the Kroupi pursuit collapse over the fee, attention is expected to swing back firmly towards Osimhen.
Any move for the Nigerian forward, however, comes with its own complications. Galatasaray are said to be demanding upwards of €120 million to sanction a permanent sale, and while Barcelona reportedly have the financial capacity to meet that valuation, wages present a separate hurdle. Osimhen would likely need to accept a reduced salary or agree to performance-related incentives in order to fit within Barcelona’s wage structure.
The 27-year-old has consistently maintained that he is happy in Istanbul, though the fluid nature of the summer window means that position could shift if a major club pushes hard enough. Beyond Barcelona, Osimhen continues to draw interest from Manchester United, Arsenal, Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern Munich, underlining just how highly he remains rated across Europe.
The developments keep one of the Super Eagles’ most prized assets firmly in the conversation among Europe’s elite clubs. Osimhen’s continued excellence at Galatasaray, where he has been directly involved in 75 goals in 74 appearances, has ensured that interest from Barcelona and others has never fully gone away, even during the weeks when Alvarez appeared to be Barcelona’s priority target. A move to Camp Nou would represent a significant statement for Nigerian football, placing Osimhen at one of the sport’s most storied clubs.
Much now depends on how Barcelona’s approach for Kroupi plays out. If Bournemouth hold firm on their valuation and that deal stalls, Osimhen is expected to move back to the top of Barcelona’s shortlist before the transfer window closes. Until then, Galatasaray’s valuation and the wage question hang over any potential move, leaving the Super Eagles striker’s next destination still very much undecided.
