Barcelona have ruled out signing Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen this summer, with his €15m net annual salary cited as the primary obstacle to a deal.
Barcelona have opted against signing Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen this summer despite gathering information on his situation at Galatasaray, with his huge salary demands emerging as the major stumbling block. The 27-year-old had drawn attention from the Catalan club for weeks before the decision was reached. Barcelona closed the door on any pursuit.
According to Diario SPORT, Barcelona ruled out a move for Osimhen despite searching for a proven No. 9 to replace Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, who left the club at the end of the 2025/26 season to join MLS side Chicago Fire. Lewandowski’s exit left a vacancy at the top of the Barcelona attack that the club has been working to fill this window.
The biggest obstacle is his wage package. Osimhen reportedly earns around €15m net per season, in addition to bonuses and his image rights, while he has shown no willingness to reduce his demands. That refusal to negotiate downward closed off one possible path to a deal with the financially constrained Spanish club.
The Catalan giants had been monitoring the 27-year-old for weeks, given the uncertainty over his future in Turkey, where he established himself as one of Europe’s most prolific strikers. Yet monitoring did not translate into a formal approach. Barcelona determined the numbers did not work and stepped back entirely.
Such a financial commitment is considered too high for Barcelona. The club is still operating under significant financial restrictions and is unwilling to disrupt its wage structure to accommodate a player of Osimhen’s demands, even with a pressing need at center-forward. The wage bill risk outweighed the footballing case for the signing.
Osimhen’s goalscoring record explains the interest in his services, having scored 76 goals in 133 appearances for Napoli before moving to Galatasaray, where he has continued his form with 59 goals in 74 matches. Those numbers placed him among Europe’s most productive center forwards across two leagues over the past several seasons.
Beyond salary, his transfer fee would represent a substantial additional cost. Galatasaray have reportedly valued him at around €75m, a sum that, combined with his wage demands, pushed the total cost of a deal beyond what Barcelona considered financially viable. His goalscoring record made him an attractive option, but the overall arithmetic did not hold up for the club.
There are also concerns about Osimhen’s temperament. Barcelona concluded that concerns over his personality and the potential risk it poses to dressing-room harmony were factors in their decision, with the club determining that the potential complications outweigh the benefits of bringing him in. His ability on the pitch was not contested. The reservation centered on what he might bring beyond goals.
Tottenham Hotspur has emerged as one of the strongest contenders for his signature, with the Premier League club reportedly making an opening offer of around €60m, which Galatasaray rejected. The Turkish club’s valuation of the striker at €75m means Tottenham will need to return with a higher bid to progress discussions.
The London club could return with an improved bid as they seek a proven frontman. For Barcelona, however, the matter is settled. Osimhen’s quality is not in doubt; it is the financial package required to secure him that has ended their interest. No further discussions between the player’s camp and the Catalan club are expected this window.
Osimhen’s future at Galatasaray has been a subject of sustained speculation through the summer. Uncertainty over his position in Turkey has drawn interest from clubs across Europe’s major leagues, with the striker’s record in Istanbul continuing to attract suitors despite the complex financial terms attached to any deal. Each club that has looked closely has faced the same salary problem.
Barcelona have ruled out signing Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen, and with Tottenham’s opening €60m bid already turned down by Galatasaray, who value the Nigerian at €75m, his destination heading into the final weeks of the summer window remains unresolved.
