Jose Mourinho Warns Arsenal About Potential £84m Transfer Mistake
Arsenal is in search of a new striker for the 2024/25 season, and Jose Mourinho has advised them to consider Napoli’s Victor Osimhen. Mourinho has compared
Osimhen to Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, suggesting that Arsenal could be making a mistake by not signing him.
Osimhen, 25, has been a standout player in Serie A, scoring 65 league goals since joining Napoli from LOSC Lille in 2020. His speed and power have caught the attention of several Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United, as well as French giants PSG.
Arsenal is in need of a top-quality striker, as Gabriel Jesus has not had the desired impact since his transfer from Manchester City in 2022.
Having a prolific number 9 could have helped Arsenal win the Premier League in the last two seasons instead of narrowly losing out to City, finishing just two points behind last season.
Mourinho previously compared Osimhen to Drogba, who scored 104 goals and provided 55 assists for Chelsea between 2004 and 2015, winning two Golden Boots and four Premier League titles. In 2023, Mourinho stated: “He is of the same level as Drogba, but Didier didn’t dive. If Victor changes, then OK, I’d buy him if I was at a club with a lot of money. However, if he does go to England one day, he needs to change because in Italy they put up with this sort of behaviour, whereas in the Premier League, they’d come down hard on him,” according to Football London.
Arsenal may be considering a move for Osimhen for the 2024/25 season, but they would need to meet his substantial £113 million release clause.
The Nigerian striker recently signed a new contract with Napoli, extending his stay at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium until 2026. Osimhen’s market value is currently £84 million, according to Transfermarkt.
While Napoli might entertain an offer in that range, it is still a significant investment for Arsenal, who have a reported wage bill of £164,476,000 for the upcoming season.
Chelsea, after finishing sixth in the Premier League last season, is also searching for a top striker and has shown interest in Osimhen. However, both Arsenal and Chelsea might miss out, as PSG seems to be leading the race for his signature this summer.
With Kylian Mbappe’s £26.2 million annual salary off their books following his free transfer to Real Madrid, PSG is looking for someone to fill the void left by his departure.
Mbappe scored 191 goals and provided 74 assists for PSG from 2018 to 2024, and his absence will be keenly felt by the Ligue 1 champions.
If Chelsea fails to sign Osimhen this year, manager Enzo Maresca has other options to explore, including Viktor Gyokeres, Karim Adeyemi, and Maximilian Beier, who are rumored to be on their summer shortlist.
In other news, Arsenal might lose another forward, as Eddie Nketiah is reportedly interested in joining Marseille following an approach from the French club, who recently signed Mason Greenwood from Manchester United.
Jose Mourinho Warns Arsenal About Potential £84m Transfer Mistake