It appears Nigeria’s top footballer could be heading to England.
Manchester United has submitted an offer to Napoli for striker Victor Osimhen. The 25-year-old is currently out on loan to Galatasaray during the final year of his contract with the Serie A club. While they are the first club to submit an offer, it is far from certain that the young forward will be on the move quite yet.
The biggest obstacle to a deal is Osimhen’s €75 million release clause. Napoli has insisted that, despite just months remaining on his contract, they will not accept any offer that does not include that being paid in full. It has not been revealed if Manchester United agreed to pay the entire amount in their recently submitted offer.
United Desperate for Scoring Help
While the Red Devils are just one of many major European clubs that express interest in Victor Osimhen, they will be the most motivated.
Manchester United had one of its worst seasons last year, and things have been even worse to start this one. The club currently sits in thirteenth in the English Premier League table and has already made a move at manager, bringing in Portuguese national Ruben Amorim. The new boss is slated to take over next week, though sports betting sites still don’t like the club’s odds to turn things around.
United’s biggest problem has been their struggle to generate goals. The current squad lacks the firepower to compete with the EPL’s top teams. That has led old and new sportsbooks alike to put their odds outside of the top six in the EPL, causing them to miss out on qualifying for the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League appearances for the second season in a row.
EPL Rivals Also Looking at Osimhen
United is not the only EPL club looking to add the Nigerian star. Arsenal and Chelsea have been rumored to be planning on aggressively pursuing Osimhen after the season. Both clubs are currently in the top four of the league, allowing them to avoid the massive release clause to add him this season.
Those rumors are likely why United is willing to overpay for what could be just a few months. If they wait, they’ll have to compete with their rivals for the star’s services. Given the club’s struggles, it would be hard to imagine that they could win a battle with Arsenal and Chelsea.
While the three EPL clubs are the most prominent to be linked to Osimhen, expect other top European clubs to reach out to Napoli. \
Could Osimhen Save the Red Devils?
Victor Osimhen is not the kind of star that can carry a club, but he could be precisely what Manchester United needs.
While just 25, the young striker has already made significant contributions to the clubs he has played for. That was never clearer than the 2022/23 season with Napoli. Osimhen led the league with 26 goals during over 32 matches, leading the Italian club to its first Serie A title since the 1989/90 season.
The following season saw the striker’s number fall off, scoring 15 goals over 25 games. He still led Napoli in goals, but the club could not defend their championship.
As disappointing as last season’s campaign was, a change of scenery has helped Osimhen regain his form. He has registered six goals across his first six games with Galatasaray, adding another two assists.
United has already brought in an exciting young boss hoping to kick off a new era. Bringing in a player with the potential of Osimhen could allow the pair to grow together, giving the club a solid core to build around.
National Team Could Benefit From Signing
An EPL club signing Osimhen could also be good news for the Nigerian national team. The striker has been solid early in his career with the Super Eagles, but a stint with an EPL club could help ensure his game continues to grow.
Nigeria could use the help after dropping a stunning match to Rwanda in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. If the national team wants a chance to qualify and compete for a World Cup, they will need their star striker to develop. England is a perfect place to do that, allowing the star to develop alongside the world’s top talent.
