Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has reportedly ceased his interest in signing Victor Osimhen from Napoli following a public dispute involving the Nigerian striker and former Super Eagles head coach Finidi George.
This claim was made by football blogger TeamNewsAndTix on his Patreon channel on Friday, September 6. According to the report, Arteta was not only concerned about Osimhen’s attitude but also his substantial wage demands.
The decision to withdraw from the pursuit came after Osimhen criticized Finidi George on Instagram. The striker reacted angrily to misinformation suggesting that Finidi, who was then the national team coach, claimed he would not beg players to represent Nigeria.
Osimhen’s social media outburst received widespread backlash, with some calling for his exclusion from the national team. This controversy appeared to influence Arteta’s decision, leading him to reconsider signing Osimhen.
This week, Osimhen completed a season-long loan move to Galatasaray, while Arsenal did not secure a striker during the summer transfer window.
Additionally, TeamNewsAndTix reported that Arteta is now focusing on Newcastle United’s forward, Alexander Isak. The blogger suggested that Arsenal will likely target Isak next summer, noting that he remains “very, very high on Arteta’s list.”
