Victor Osimhen Wage Demands Price Barcelona Out of €140m Galatasaray Transfer

Barcelona’s pursuit of Victor Osimhen is facing significant financial barriers, with the Nigeria international reportedly unwilling to accept a reduction in his current earnings to accommodate the Catalan club’s wage structure.

According to a report by FootMercato, cited by Transfermarkt, the 27-year-old striker is settled at Galatasaray and has no immediate intention of leaving Istanbul unless an exceptional financial offer materialises. The report indicates that any prospective buyer would first need to satisfy Galatasaray’s transfer valuation of approximately €140 million before even engaging in personal terms with the player.

Osimhen’s current remuneration at Galatasaray stands at €21 million net per year, a figure that incorporates both his base salary and image rights. Replicating that net figure in Spain presents a considerable challenge for Barcelona due to the country’s income tax framework. Under Spain’s IRPF legislation, which applies a top marginal rate of approximately 47% for high earners, Barcelona would need to offer a gross salary of around €40 million to match Osimhen’s existing take-home pay.

A gross salary at that level would place the former Napoli striker above every current earner at Camp Nou, directly undermining the wage management strategy the club’s board has been carefully implementing. Barcelona have previously persuaded players including Robert Lewandowski and Marcus Rashford to accept reduced terms as part of that strategy, and sources suggest the club had considered a similar approach with Osimhen. However, according to reports, such an attempt would be unlikely to succeed given the player’s current stance.

The financial complexity does not end with personal terms. Meeting Galatasaray’s reported €140 million asking price alongside a gross annual salary in the region of €40 million would represent an extraordinary outlay for a club that continues to navigate the consequences of the financial difficulties it has experienced since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted football’s economy in 2020.

Barcelona have demonstrated a willingness to invest significantly in attacking reinforcements during the current transfer window, most recently completing the signing of Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United. However, the cumulative cost of securing Osimhen — factoring in the transfer fee, gross salary obligations, and image rights — appears to place the deal beyond what the club can responsibly commit to at this stage.

Osimhen won the Serie A Capocannoniere award during his time at Napoli, finishing as the league’s top scorer, before joining Galatasaray on loan from Napoli in the 2024-25 season. His performances in the Turkish Süper Lig have maintained his status as one of Europe’s most sought-after centre-forwards, attracting continued interest from several elite clubs across the continent.

With Barcelona constrained by both Galatasaray’s valuation and the player’s unwillingness to negotiate on personal terms, the transfer appears increasingly unlikely to materialise under current conditions.