As the 2025 summer transfer window gathers momentum, the names of three strikers; Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, Swedish trojan Viktor Gyokeres and Slovenia’s Benjamin’s Sesko have been on the radar of top clubs in Europe.

PUNCH Sports Extra compares the forwards and the seeming difficulty for the clubs to get them.

Victor Osimhen

It is no secret that the Super Eagles hitman wants out at Napoli, following the breakdown in the relationship between the player and the club’s hierarchy. The Nigerian international arrived at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in a big-money move worth around €75m from French Ligue 1 side LOSC Lille Metropole in the summer of 2020.

The forward gave a good account while in the Italian topflight, netting double figures in all competitions in each of his four seasons at the Partenopei. His crowning moment came in the 2022/23 campaign where Napoli dominated Serie A and went on to lift the Scudetto under Luciano Spalletti. The striker scored 26 league goals then.

Then, things turned sour in the summer of 2024, which necessitated his exit to Turkish Super Lig giants Galatasaray on a season-long loan deal. During his solitary campaign at Rams Park, Osimhen scored 37 goals plus eight assists in 41 games across all competitions to help the Turkish giants to a domestic double, winning the Super Lig and the Turkish Cup.

While his next destination is still unknown after his loan spell, Osimhen has already rejected several overtures including a mammoth €50m-a-year salary offer from Saudi Pro League heavyweights Al Hilal.

Osimhen’s record last season saw him win the Süper Lig Golden Boot with 26 goals, he scored six times in seven UEFA Europa League matches, while he added five goals in four Turkish Cup games.

In a total career number of 264 club games, he has scored a combined 151 goals and added 36 assists for Charleroi, Lille, Napoli and Galatasaray. For the national team, Osimhen has netted 26 times in 41 outings.

Viktor Gyokeres

After moving from English Championship outfit Coventry City to Sporting in the summer of 2023, the Swedish striker has turned into a goal-scoring machine. In his maiden campaign under erstwhile boss and current Manchester United gaffer Ruben Amorim, he accrued 54 goals and recorded 13 assists in 2023/24. He repeated the trick in the 2024/25 season, where he netted 39 times, and provided seven assists in 33 top-flight matches.

Across all competitions, the 27-year-old marksman registered 54 goals as he claimed back-to-back Primeira Liga Golden Boots and was named Taça de Portugal winner and Player of the Season. Gyökeres is a relentless runner, and his strength on the ball, ability to attack from wide channels, and capacity to beat defenders will make him an attractive asset to have in any team.

Gyokeres has a total number of 182 goals plus 50 assists ranging from several U-21 club sides and senior teams. For the national team, he has found the back of the net 15 times out of 26 appearances since making his debut in 2019.

However, all is currently not rosy at the Estadio Jose Alvalade as Gyokeres is at loggerheads with the club’s president Frederico Varandas whom he claims to have reneged on their gentleman’s agreement about a future transfer a year ago. Varandas has made it clear that the Swede will not leave for anything less than €80m.

The previous gentleman’s agreement was that Gyokeres could leave if a bid of €70m came, which was split at €60m in fixed fees plus €10m in add-ons. An angry Gyokeres has said he would no longer play for the Portuguese powerhouse and has refused to join the club’s pre-season camp on time.

Benjamin Sesko

The Slovenian has blossomed into a more efficient hitman, since his move from sister club RB Salzburg in the summer of July 2023. Standing At an impressive height of 6ft 5in, Sesko offers more than just being a fox in the box. He is blessed with aerial threat and is adept at creating opportunities for his teammates, a trait which is loved by modern day managers.

The 21-year-old, who is currently on the shortlist of top clubs including Premier League side Arsenal, enjoyed a relatively decent 2024/25 campaign in which he scored 21 goals in 45 appearances across all competitions. While his numbers pale in contrast with Osimhen and Gyokeres, it is evident that the Eastern European has time to his advantage and will become more lethal just like during his Salzburg days.

With a non-penalty expected goals per 90 minutes of 0.32 and an impressive 0.42 actual goals per 90 minutes, Sesko has shown he can be both efficient and promising. In his young career, Sesko has 100 goals and 26 assists across youth and senior teams. For the Slovenian national team, he has 16 goals to his name from 41 matches played since his debut appearance in June 2021.

Sesko’s team Leipzig are unwilling to let him leave and have slapped a hefty transfer tag to ward off suitors, which seems to be having an effect on Arsenal who have baulked at the huge financial outlay. However, the Gunners could still prise him away as a bid of around €75m could be enough, according to Caught Offside.

In an era where the modern day striker’s role is changing, forwards like Osimhen, Gyokeres and Sesko have the enduring ability to make the difference for any team rich enough to afford their services. Their evolution is not just based on statistics but it is now a position of versatility and efficiency.