Manchester United are one of the clubs who ‘like’ Napoli striker Victor Osimhen but it’s going to take a ‘high price’ to sign him, suggests CBS reporter Ben Jacobs, speaking to GiveMeSport.
The 24-year-old has been in scintillating form this season and has played a pivotal role in Napoli’s early success this campaign.
Manchester United transfer news – Victor Osimhen
A report from The Mirror recently claimed that Manchester United and Chelsea are two of the clubs showing an interest in Osimhen after his impressive season.
With Wout Weghorst only on a short-term deal, United may need to consider bringing in a striker or two this summer, especially when taking into account the unreliable Anthony Martial – since joining the club, Martial has missed a period of games 21 times, as per Transfermarkt.
Martial and Weghorst are the only two out-and-out strikers remaining at the club, so you’d imagine this position would be a priority during the summer transfer window.
Qualifying for the Champions League will surely be a must for United if they want to attract an elite-level striker ahead of next season.
What has Jacobs said about Osimhen?
It’s certainly not going to be easy to convince Napoli to part ways with the £61m-rated striker (as per Transfermarkt), Jacobs has suggested.
Speaking to GiveMeSport, he said: “If there are some outgoings in that department, that’s when Chelsea could start looking at a more traditional kind of forward and Osimhen is a name that Chelsea really like, much like Manchester United.
“The challenge isn’t getting Napoli to sell. It’s not only that they want a high price, it’s also that Osimhen is absolutely loving playing at Napoli at the moment. He’s settled, Napoli are flying, they’re on a procession to Serie A.
“In my view, they’re genuine Champions League contenders at the moment, so it’s not going to be easy to prise him away.”
What could Osimhen bring to Manchester United?
Osimhen signed for Napoli for a fee of around £66.5m, as per Transfermarkt, and since then has scored 43 goals in 71 Serie A games, including 21 in 25 games across all competitions this season.
His record this season ranks him second in Europe’s top five leagues, as per FBRef, only behind Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
Whether Osimhen can adapt to the Premier League remains to be seen, but the Nigerian striker has been performing exceptionally in Italy as well as in European competitions. The 24-year-old has scored eight goals in 17 games across the Europa and Champions League.
