Barcelona submit bid for Osimhen

Barcelona have reportedly escalated their well-documented pursuit of Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen by submitting an unofficial bid to secure the Nigerian international ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window. 

According to a recent report from prominent Turkish journalist Serhan Türk, which was shared on X by the sports daily Fotomaç, the Catalan giants are aggressively pushing ahead for the 27-year-old forward.

"Barcelona have a great interest in Victor Osimhen. They have informally submitted an offer exceeding 100 million Euros. Galatasaray’s expectation for Osimhen, however, is 150 million Euros,” the report read.

Barcelona’s increased effort is believed to follow an internal concession that a move for their primary target, Julián Álvarez, is highly unlikely to materialise. 

Álvarez has proved too difficult to attain, with Atletico Madrid unwilling to enter talks with their rivals, according to reports. Consequently, Barcelona has shifted focus to Osimhen, whose dominance in Turkey has not gone unseen.

This campaign, he has yielded an impressive 20 goals across all competitions, including a recent strike against Fenerbahçe in the title-impacting Istanbul Derby on Sunday, after which he declared himself capable of scoring against any team.

As the report suggests, Joan Laporta’s board has submitted an informal bid, a strategic, non-binding verbal or preliminary offer typically communicated through intermediaries or agents. 

This mechanism works by allowing a buying club to formally gauge the selling club's willingness to negotiate and understand the exact economic parameters of a potential deal without submitting official, legally binding documentation that requires immediate proof of funds, a sensible approach given their financial straits. 

However, this exploratory move has also hit a financial roadblock, as Galatasaray maintain an uncompromisingly hard stance, demanding a staggering €150 million for the 2022/23 Serie A champion.