Osimhen will not accept pay cut to join Barcelona

Victor Osimhen is settled at Galatasaray and will only entertain a departure if a truly astronomical offer arrives, according to reports. This effectively rules out any notion that he would accept a pay cut to join Barcelona.

According to a recent report by FootMercato, per Transfermarkt, the 27-year-old Nigeria international has no immediate desire to leave Istanbul unless a tempting financial package arrives.  

This follows reports indicating that Galatasaray will only hear offers in the region of €140 million for Osimhen. Hence, any elite European club attempting to acquire the prolific striker will first be forced to meet the club's exorbitant asking price in addition to matching Osimhen's wage demands. 

This places him beyond reach for a number of suitors keen on securing his services, including Barcelona, who, despite having flexed financial muscle with the acquisition of Anthony Gordon from Newcastle, still have to live within their means. 

Meeting Osimhen's personal terms poses a potentially ruinous complication for Barcelona's delicate wage structure. 

Osimhen currently commands a lucrative package of €21 million net per year covering his base salary and image rights. 

To match that exact take-home pay, Barcelona would have to offer a staggering salary of around €40 million gross, factoring in Spain’s income tax laws (IRPF), specifically the top marginal tax bracket for high earners, which currently stands at roughly 47%. 

Handing Osimhen a €40 million gross salary would instantly make him the highest earner at Camp Nou, effectively disrupting the boardroom's ongoing wage management strategy. 

One of the ways they have managed this is to convince top stars like Robert Lewandowski and Marcus Rashford to accept pay cuts. This has been suggested as a tactic they could use to land Osimhen; however, the recent report suggests that the attempt would be unsuccessful. 

Attempting to fund the operation on the current terms could set the Blaugrana back on the path toward the crippling financial ruin that has plagued them since the 2020 global pandemic, which suggests they will simply be unable to sign the former Capocannoniere.