Osimhen, Salah and Ekitiké: Why Liverpool’s attack could be rebuilt around the Super Eagles star

Victor Osimhen is once again at the centre of Europe’s transfer market only one year after completing his big-money move from Napoli to Galatasaray, Afrik-Foot reports.

The Super Eagles striker helped Galatasaray win their 26th Turkish Süper Lig title and has quickly become one of the most iconic forwards in Turkish football history. Yet despite his success in Istanbul, talk of another blockbuster transfer is already growing louder.

Galatasaray officials have made their position very clear. Vice-president Abdullah Kavukcu and board member Bora Bahçetepe reportedly want between €150 million and €200 million before allowing Osimhen leave the club. That figure shocked several interested clubs, including Arsenal, whose representatives were reportedly stunned during talks in Istanbul.

The financial package surrounding Osimhen is also enormous. The striker reportedly earns around €15 million annually alongside major image-rights agreements, making any deal extremely difficult.

Even so, Europe’s biggest clubs continue to monitor him closely. Real Madrid are being heavily linked with the Nigerian forward, especially after former Nigeria striker John Utaka publicly encouraged him to move to the Santiago Bernabéu.

Victor Osimhen. Copyright: xSeskimphotox IMAGO

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reportedly still views Osimhen as the missing piece in his frontline, while both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are also tracking developments. Barcelona, in particular, see Osimhen as a possible long-term successor to Robert Lewandowski.

But perhaps the most fascinating links are coming from Liverpool. The Merseyside club suddenly find themselves facing a major attacking rebuild after the devastating Achilles injury suffered by Hugo Ekitiké and the confirmed departure of Mohamed Salah from Anfield.

Ekitiké’s injury against PSG is expected to keep him out for between nine and 12 months, while Salah’s exit removes Liverpool’s most reliable goalscorer of the last decade. Together, those two blows have left Arne Slot needing immediate firepower.

Former Chelsea winger Florent Malouda believes Osimhen is exactly the kind of player Liverpool need.

“Victor Osimhen can perform in the Premier League,” Malouda said. “When you look at his mindset, his character, and his passion for the game, I think he belongs in the Premier League.

“Where would he fit? Each club has a different story, a different budget, contract conditions, and situations.

“But I think that’s what’s missing in his career now. He’s done great in Italy, in France, and now in Turkey. I think his next step is the Premier League and the Champions League, where he can play in a team that can win it.

“I would say Chelsea and maybe Liverpool are the clubs that would suit him way better than Manchester United. He is very energetic, he’s a leader, he is the kind of player that the fans would love.”

Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen. Copyright: xYagizxGurtugx IMAGO

That description alone explains why Liverpool should seriously be considering him.

Osimhen’s aggressive pressing, explosive running power and penalty-box instincts mirror many of the qualities Liverpool supporters traditionally admire in centre-forwards. More importantly, he offers solutions to problems Liverpool suddenly cannot ignore.

Why Osimhen changes Liverpool’s entire attack

Before his injury, Ekitiké had become Liverpool’s most dangerous central attacker under Arne Slot. His movement, pressing intensity and link-up play gave Liverpool balance in attack. Without him, Liverpool risk losing both physical presence and goals.

Osimhen could solve that instantly. The Super Eagles striker combines relentless pressing with elite finishing. Unlike many traditional number nines, he constantly attacks space behind defenders and thrives in chaotic transitional moments. Those are qualities Liverpool have built their identity around for years.

Salah’s departure creates an even bigger tactical problem. Liverpool are not simply losing a winger; they are losing a player who guaranteed more than 20 goals almost every season. Replacing those numbers directly from the wing would be extremely difficult.

Instead, Osimhen could shift Liverpool’s scoring focus into central areas. That would allow younger wide players like Rio Ngumoha or Yan Diomandé to focus more on creativity and width rather than carrying the entire goalscoring burden themselves.

Victor Osimhen. Copyright: xSeskimphotox IMAGO

Osimhen also changes how opponents defend Liverpool. His aerial strength, pace and physicality force centre-backs into deeper positions and often attract double marking. That creates more room for players such as Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz around the penalty area.

Tactically, Liverpool would likely need to reshape completely around him. Instead of the fluid 4-3-3 structure previously used with Salah and Ekitiké, Slot may need a narrower 4-2-3-1 system built entirely around Osimhen’s strengths.

In that setup, Florian Wirtz would operate centrally as a traditional number 10, feeding quick vertical passes into Osimhen’s runs behind defenders.

The full-backs would also become more important. With Salah no longer pinning defenders on the right side, Liverpool would need underlapping movement from their right-back while allowing Milos Kerkez to provide aggressive width from the left flank.

Liverpool could also become more direct in possession. Rather than relying on intricate combinations inside the box, the team may use the long passing ability of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté to find Osimhen early.

Victor Osimhen of Nigeria. Copyright: Imago xAMADAxMASARUx

That would transform Liverpool into a high-tempo second-ball team, using Osimhen’s aerial dominance to launch attacks quickly.

The financial challenge remains huge, though. Galatasaray’s asking price is enormous, and Saudi Arabian clubs could still offer Osimhen wages worth more than €20 million per year.

Yet, it is believed that the striker still prioritises legacy and Champions League football over a move to the Middle East.

That could be the opening Liverpool need. With Salah gone, Ekitiké injured and pressure building ahead of a new Premier League campaign, few strikers on the market appear more capable of carrying an attack immediately than Victor Osimhen.