The £102m transfer release clause Arsenal could trigger to seal genius first summer deal

Victor Osimhen is ‘waiting’. He’s not the only one. Like two armies before a pitched battle, staring at each other across an expanse of greenery, ‘Football Clubs’ and ‘The Transfer Market’ stand by tensely, anticipating the call to charge at any moment. Front and centre are Arsenal, eager to claim the scalp of a new striker, among other targets. Like I say, Victor Osimhen is ‘waiting’.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Nigerian forward is expected to leave Napoli this summer after a wildly successful stint during which he has scored 76 goals in 133 outings and won a Serie A title for his troubles. A sale would see the Blues’ wage bill drop by a ‘monstrous’ amount, while also providing the requisite finances to source an alternative option at the point of attack. Indeed, the Italian club are already said to be lining up prospective replacements, with the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Artem Dovbyk among those touted.

For his part, Osimhen seems happy enough to depart, and in particular, is ‘open’ to the idea of joining Arsenal. For that to become a reality, however, the chances are that the Gunners would have to trigger a release clause which is understood to be in the region of £102.3 million.

Evidently, that would be quite the outlay, and at this fledgling stage of gossip-mongering, it is unclear whether Arsenal have either the funds or the motivation to meet Osimhen’s valuation. But if the coffers permit, they should really consider making a move.

Over the past couple of seasons, Mikel Arteta’s men have bordered on the flawless, and have seemed like the most realistic candidate to curtail Manchester City’s relentless Premier League omnipotence. But a recurrent criticism of this Gunners squad is that they are blatantly lacking in a proven and consistent goal-scorer.

Of course, this is something that they themselves have identified - hence the gathering momentum of their centre forward hunt - but it is absolutely vital that when they do eventually bite the bullet and bring a player in, they get it right.

He may be a more expensive option than most, but Osimhen also feels like he has a greater likelihood of being a surefire success. At 25, he is only just entering the prime of his career, and already has amassed a wealth of experience playing at the very, very highest level. His individual record speaks for itself, and his pedigree as a pure attacking focal point is hard to deny. In the words of former manager Luciano Spalleti: ‘Osimhen is such a great striker. I am stunned by the potential he has and excited to see what he’ll do in future. He has the pace, the skill, the courage and physicality to deal with [difficult] situations. He still has remarkable room for improvement.’

And in large part, that is the key to Osimhen’s appeal, and the reason that Napoli feel justified in charging so much for his signature; not only could the African Player of the Year a talent capable of arriving at the Emirates and instantly providing the missing piece in Arteta’s promising puzzle, but he is also a player with a near-boundless amount of potential left to reach.

He would not come cheap, but if Arsenal do have £100 million or so lying around this summer, they should absolutely consider swooping for Osimhen.