Manchester United’s hunt for a new striker could be dealt another blow as Juventus are ramping up efforts to sign Victor Osimhen, according to a report from Italy.
Osimhen, 26, is considered one of the premier number nines on the market this summer with a release clause worth around €75 million with Serie A champions Napoli.
A Lack of Options on the Market
The Nigeria international spent last season on loan at Galatasaray, propelling the Lions to a league and cup double while returning 37 goals and eight in 41 appearances for his adopted side.
But Oismhen will return to the Diego Armanda Maradona staidym this month as he considers options from a number of interested suitors, with Napoli keen to cash in due to a complete breakdown in relationship between the striker and the Neapolitan club.
United hold a long-standing interest in Osimhen but his wage demands are “viewed as too high”, according to The Athletic, despite the release clause being more reasonably priced.
The club’s first-choice option up front this summer was Liam Delap, but the England U-21 international rebuffed the United’s interest in favour of a switch to Chelsea.
Similarly, Ruben Amorim was believed to be pushing for a reunion with his former protégé in Lisbon, Viktor Gyokeres, ahead of Delap. But the 27-year-old frontman is prioritising an exit from Sporting CP to a Champions League club with no European football on offer at Old Trafford next season.
Contact has also been made with Eintracht Frankfurt over French forward Hugo Ekitike but a prohibitive £85 million asking price is likely beyond United’s means, even with sales.
This brings the Red Devils full circle back to Osimhen, with few options left on the market who offer the potent pairing of a proven track-record of goals and experience at the highest level that the Nigerian does.
Juventus Prepare Double Swoop
But the 26-year-old striker is also a “big target” for Juventus with the Old Lady making contact with his camp over the weekend to discuss a move, according to Italian football expert Gianluca Di Marzio.
“The main focus of the Bianconeri these days is the central striker , with David and Osimhen being the hottest names. The Nigerian in particular has always been a big target for the team coached by Tudor, who intensified contact with him over the weekend.
“The aim is to get the striker’s “yes”, then seek an agreement on the salary and go and negotiate with Napoli on the values of the termination clause.”
The €75 million release clause which is activated in Osimhen’s contract in Naples only applies to teams outside of Italy. This means Juventus would still have to strike an agreement with their rivals with Napoli chairman, Aurelio De Laurentiis, a notoriously difficult negotiator.
Interestingly, Di Marzio reveals Juventus are also targeting Jonathan David in addition to Osimhen, with United having also expressed an interest in the Canadian striker who left LOSC Lille on a free transfer last month.
“Juventus, therefore, are serious about [Osimhen], but have not given up on David: the idea is to bring in two forwards with Vlahovic’s exit at the same time,” Di Marzio concludes.
If the Serie A powerhouse were to wrap up a double deal for two of the best strikers on the market it would present a major blow to United with the number of options to bolster Amorim’s forward line this summer rapidly dwindling.
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
