Spain great Iniesta urges Barcelona to sign Super Eagles star with 52 Nigeria caps

Andrés Iniesta has thrown his support behind Victor Osimhen, urging Barcelona to make the Super Eagles striker their next leading forward following Robert Lewandowski's departure to Chicago Fire, Soccernet.ng reports.

The former Barcelona midfielder believes the Nigerian international is the ideal player to lead Hansi Flick's attack, especially with Atlético Madrid showing no intention of selling Julián Álvarez, who has been Barcelona's preferred transfer target.

Speaking in an interview as per NTV Spor, Iniesta gave a strong endorsement of the 52-cap Nigeria international.

“Lamine Yamal is a fantastic player, but I wouldn't prefer him playing as a number 9. If Ferran Torres leaves, I would strongly advise Deco to sign a striker. I don't think Atletico Madrid will let Julian Alvarez go. I would suggest they sign Victor Osimhen. He's a fantastic goalscorer and one of the best replacements for Robert Lewandowski.”

Osimhen's reputation has continued to grow after another outstanding season with Galatasaray. The Nigerian striker helped the Turkish giants win the 2025-26 Süper Lig title while producing 15 goals and five assists in 22 league appearances despite missing several matches with a forearm injury.

He also made history by becoming the fastest player to reach 50 goals for Galatasaray, achieving the milestone in just 59 appearances. Among his standout displays were a brace against Antalyaspor that sealed the league title and a goal in a 3-0 derby victory over Fenerbahçe after returning from injury.

Barcelona face major obstacles despite Iniesta's backing

Although Iniesta believes Osimhen would be the perfect replacement for Lewandowski, Barcelona's board faces several financial and sporting challenges that have pushed the move further away.

The Catalan club urgently needs a natural centre-forward after Lewandowski's exit, but reports suggest Barcelona have cooled their interest after closely monitoring Osimhen for several weeks.

One of the biggest stumbling blocks is the striker's salary demands. Osimhen is reportedly seeking a net salary of around €15 million per season, plus performance-related bonuses. Under Spain's tax system, that would cost Barcelona close to €30 million gross annually, making it extremely difficult for the club to register the player under La Liga's financial rules.

Galatasaray are also unwilling to lower their asking price for a forward who has 35 goals in 52 appearances for Nigeria. The Turkish champions are believed to value Osimhen at between €70 million and €75 million, a fee Barcelona are reluctant to commit to this summer.

Instead, sporting director Deco continues to focus on finding a way to sign Julián Álvarez, despite Atlético Madrid refusing to negotiate. Barcelona have already strengthened their attack by signing Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon, but they still lack a recognised number nine, while Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović remains another alternative under consideration.

With Barcelona stepping back because of financial limitations, Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are now among the strongest contenders to sign Osimhen before the transfer window closes.