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Manchester United held talks with Napoli this week over a blockbuster exchange deal for Victor Osimhen with Al-Hilal – the frontrunners to sign to 26-year-old striker – refusing to meet the Italian club’s demands, according to reports.
Osihmen is widely considered the premier number nine on the market this summer with the Nigerian international, currently on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli, having returned 36 goals and eight assists in just 40 appearances for his adopted side.
Osimhen offers a potent pairing of pace and physicality which few strikers can match, while retaining an excellent work-rate and outstanding aerial ability. His all-round play lacks finesse with question marks over his technical skill and link-up play as a forward.
But his sheer relentlessness as a goal-scorer lends itself perfectly to the fast-paced chaos of English football and the profile of strike Ruben Amorim prioritises at the top of his team.
The current striking partnership at Old Trafford – Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee – have combined for just seven goals in the Premier League this season.
The urgent need for a new option up front cannot be overstated with the Red Devils linked with a host of options, including Osimhen, Liam Delap (Ipswich Town), and Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting CP).
Delap, 22, had emerged as the club’s first-choice target given a favourable £30 million relegation clause at Portman Road was triggered by the Tractor Boys’ return to the Championship last month. However, the England U-21 striker looks set to snub United’s interest in favour of a switch to Stamford Bridge.
Similarly, Arsenal are believed to be leading the race for Gyokeres with the Swedish international prioritising a move to club with Champions League football next season – something United missed out on after the 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.
This leaves Osimhen as one of the few remaining options for United to secure a striker with a proven track record of goals. The striker is expected to return to Naples as his loan draws to a close in Turkey with a release clause worth between £60-65 million at the Diego Armanda Maradona Stadium.
But the Nigerian’s wage demands had been thought to have put off teams in England, with Arsenal and Chelsea also reported as suitors. This had led to an increasing belief that Osimhen would move to the Saudi Pro League this summer with Al-Hilal moving to sign the 26-year-old.
However, Calciomercato contends the Saudi club are refusing to meet Osimhen’s release clause and are unwilling to offer “beyond the €35/40 million mark” (£33-33.5 million).
This could offer United a chance to steal march in the race for the striker with Il Napolista – a local outlet in Naples – revealing the Red Devils have opened negotiations with Napoli this week over a deal.
“In recent days, emissaries from Manchester United have arrived in the capital of Naples, specifically one of the Red Devils’ top executives, Matt Hargreaves. He had a meeting with Manna and De Laurentiis, discussing two topics,” the report states.
“The main reason for the comparison is of course Victor Osimhen, Napoli asked for Hojlund and 40 million for the Nigerian, specifying that he has a lot of market, considering that many Arab teams like him. So the second topic that was debated is the possible inclusion of the former Atalanta striker in the negotiation. With Napoli that would thus have, in exchange for the Nigerian, a new striker and 40 million euros.”
Napoli hold a long-standing interest in Hojlund who retains many admirers in Serie A after first emerging at Atalanta before his blockbuster move to Old Trafford in 2023. But this switch has seen the Danish international struggle to adapt to English football with an exit on the cards this summer.
If United could secure a number nine like Osimhen by using Hojlund as a negotiating gambit to drive down the price, while fending off interest from the Saudi Pro League, it would constitute one of the signings of the summer; indeed, any summer, based on how dramatic an upgrade the Nigerian would provide on the Dane.
Featured image Ahmad Mora via Getty Images
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