-Credit:2024 Getty Images
Manchester United must sign a striker this summer and Victor Osimhen ticks a lot of boxes.
Chelsea were in talks to sign Osimhen in August and agreed a fee with Napoli, but the player failed to agree personal terms and the move dramatically fell through at the 11th hour.
The transfer window slammed shut and Osimhen was left stranded at Napoli, yet he needed a move away because Antonio Conte had decided he was not in his plans in Naples.
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Conte signed Romelu Lukaku following his appointment at Napoli and Lukaku was his striker. Osimhen had been told to leave Napoli and Turkish club Galatasaray were able to arrange a late deal because their transfer window was still open, despite others in Europe having closed.
Osimhen signed for Galatasaray on loan for the 2024/25 season and signed a one-year contract extension with Napoli until June 2027, so his value would be protected after his stint away.
The Nigerian striker previously had a contract with Napoli until the summer of 2026 and would have been available for a bargain fee, if the contract extension hadn’t been signed.
Napoli will still have some negotiating power for Osimhen when he returns from his Galatasaray loan but every club knows they want to sell him and United should consider a move.
Osimhen scored 76 goals in 133 games for Napoli and played a key role in their 2022/23 Serie A title triumph with 26 goals. Although his form dropped off last season as Napoli finished 10th and had three different managers, he has regained momentum during his time on loan in Turkey.
While the Turkish top-flight isn’t renowned for its quality, Osimhen has contributed 13 goals and six assists in 17 appearances and he couldn’t have done much more to impress.
Victor Osimhen has found his feet again. -Credit:Getty Images
He also proved he can still cut it against a ‘top side’ when playing Tottenham in the Europa League. Osimhen scored twice in Galatasaray’s 3-2 victory over Spurs at the start of November, and the athleticism and finishing he displayed in that match confirmed that he is still a top striker.
It feels like Osimhen has been around for longer than he has, but he only celebrated his 26th birthday in December and is entering the prime of his career, which adds to his appeal.
Osimhen looks tailormade for the Premier League. He possesses the pace to beat the finest defenders and his finishing has earned him a reputation as one of the world’s best in his position.
Napoli’s awful campaign last term made some doubt whether Osimhen was a flash in the pan, however, his overall record suggests not and he’s back to his best at Galatasaray.
Galatasaray are eight points clear in the Süper Lig and Osimhen’s goals are set to fire them to league glory, so they will be desperate to make his move permanent in the summer.
But their loan agreement with Napoli didn’t include that option and they would have to make a fresh offer to the Italian club. Osimhen will have two years left of his contract in the summer and it wouldn’t exactly take a record-breaking fee to prise him away from a very willing seller.
Napoli were entertaining bids in the region of £70million for Osimhen before talks collapsed with Chelsea and that would be a reasonable transfer fee for someone who is prolific. United could possibly even haggle on the price given time will be ticking for Napoli to secure a big fee and so there could be a bargain on offer.
United spent over £100m on Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee and they have 11 goals between them in all competitions this term. Ruben Amorim needs a striker who can consistently find the back of the net and players like Osimhen are not easily attainable very often.
Osimhen feels destined for the Premier League and would be perfect for United.