UK Casino Betting Frenzy with New Arsenal Transfer Pursuit
As the 2022-2023 season ends and the summer transfer window draws ever closer, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal is up against stiff competition in its pursuit of new blood. Amidst increasing interest from Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and Manchester United, the Gunners are hot on the heels of Napoli’s star striker Victor Osimhen, whose driving, penetrative style of play would be a welcome addition to Arsenal’s front line. Let’s take a closer look at Osimhen’s career so far and consider the odds of the Gunners getting their man:
Who is Victor Osimhen?
Victor Osimhen is a Nigerian centre-forward renowned for his driving pace, athleticism, and direct style of play. He is widely considered as one of the best strikers in the world, having garnered comparisons with Erling Haaland, Alexander Isak and Kylian Mbappe.
Osimhen first came into the sights of the Gunners at 18, when he rejected an offer to join the Arsenal team managed by Arsène Wenger. In 2017, the in-demand centre-forward signed a 3.5-year contract with VfL Wolfsburg, playing his first full 90 minutes in the Bundesliga in 2018.
Record-Breaking Journey and Premier League Aspirations
After a brief stint on loan to Sporting Charleroi in Belgium, Osimhen signed a 2019 deal with the French Ligue 1 club Lille. At Lille, the striker picked up the Prix Marc-Vivien Foé award and was named the club’s Player of the Season for 2020.
Victor Osimhen moved to the famous Serie A club Napoli in July 2020 for a record-breaking fee of over €70 million. Despite a period of inaction due to COVID-19 and injury in his first and second seasons, he would go on to score 14 Serie A goals for Napoli in 2021-2022.
In November 2022, the striker beat Simy Nwankwo’s record of 31 goals to become the highest-scoring Nigerian player in Serie A. In 2023, he would be named the highest-scoring African player in Serie A (47 goals), beating the record previously set by George Manneh Weah.
After receiving the Best Foreign Athlete in Italy Award this year, Victor Osimhen spoke of his dream of playing in the Premier League. He expressed an interest in potentially moving to an English club.
A Premier League Dream : Casino Odds of Osimhen’s Transfer
Being one of the most hotly-contested prospects this summer, Oshimen has sparked considerable interest among the best UK online casinos and sports betting platforms. Renowned for their top-tier gaming, these platforms are offering competitive odds for the strikers potential transfer direction. As football fans are eager to find out what the outcome will be, the question remains – where will this Nigerian star land next?
According to the best online casinos, the odds of Arsenal signing Osimhen stand at 25/1 (Bet365). This means that the Gunners are the least likely to acquire the player along with Newcastle United, who share the same odds of 25/1 at BetVictor. At the moment, other major clubs in the running for the striker include La Liga giants Barcelona (20/1 Bet365) and Real Madrid (16/1 BetUK), while the odds of Bayern Munich making the transfer currently stand at 14/1 (Unibet). Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United are the favourites to pick up Osimhen, with odds of 11/2 at Bet365. United are closely followed by Frank Lampard’s Chelsea, who could arguably benefit the most from the signing – the latest odds of Osimhen joining the Blues at Stamford Bridge stand at 10/1 at Bet365.
Victor Osimhen has explicitly expressed his desire to play in the PL. Naturally, this should go in an English club’s favour, especially if the transfer battle comes down to a shootout with a heavyweight European side like Bayern Munich or Paris Saint Germain. Even though Manchester United and Chelsea have performed relatively poorly while the Gunners maintained a firmly upright position in the table, Arsenal is currently losing the race for Osimhen – at least in the eyes of the bookmakers.
Whatever happens over the summer, the confirmed retention of Saka and the impending departure of Xhaka may see Arteta concentrate on bolstering his midfield rather than spending big bucks on a star centre-forward. However, the fact that Arteta’s side came so close to achieving the title this season could sway any Blighty-bound decisions made by Osimhen and his agent Roberto Calenda, however dire the odds.
Top Transfer Prospects in 2023-2024 Season
Being the only Premier League side to provide a worthy challenge for the dominant Manchester City this season, the transfer window provides the Gunners with a golden opportunity to bolster their squad for penetrative play in the Champions League and make a strengthened return to the PL in 2023-2024. Who are the other top players besides Victor Osimhen that experts suggest might transfer to the Emirates the next season?
Declan Rice – West Ham captain Declan Rice is expected to abscond from the East London Stadium this summer, following a contradictory 2022-2023 season where the Hammers performed well in the Europa Conference but floundered in the PL. Having spent a season hovering above the relegation zone, the in-demand defensive midfielder is likely looking for a taste of success in the CL, with Mikel Arteta’s side widely considered the best-equipped. Rice could be an essential addition to Arsenal’s midfield if Xhaka moves to Bayer Leverkusen as expected. Arsenal currently leads the ‘race for Rice’ against Manchester United and Chelsea and are currently the favourites at the top UK casino sites. However, it’s worth noting that creeping interest from Bayern Munich could scupper the Gunners’ £100 million deal.
Ilkay Gundogan – Following a dominant title win this season, Man City’s captain Ilkay Gundogan is in hot demand. Yet to agree on new contract terms with City, Gundogan will be free for purchase this summer and could act as the perfect counterpoint to Declan Rice in a new dynamic midfield for the Gunners.
Mason Mount – As Chelsea’s favourite Mason Mount moves into the final 12 months of his contract with the Blues, the club is yet to strike a long-term deal to retain the England international. While it seems more likely that Mount will make a move to Liverpool, Man City, or Manchester United (the latter are currently the favourites for the transfer at the bookies), the Gunners could still be in the running to pick up the English midfielder next season.
