Manchester United’s hunt for a new number nine has hit yet another hurdle as the latest rejection from one of Europe’s most lethal marksmen.
An Urgent Priority
Ruben Amorim has prioritised a comprehensive overhaul of United’s dismal attacking unit after the club’s worst season in the Premier League era.
United finished 15th in the table without success in any of the cup competitions. It was the lowest finish, the lowest number of points, the most losses, and the least goals scored in the history of England’s top division.
Only four teams scored fewer times than Amorim’s side – Everton and the three relegated clubs, Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton. The senior striker partnership of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee combined for just seven strikes between them, despite totalling over £100 million in transfer fees across successive windows.
The need for reinforcements up front is as obvious as it is important.
A £62.5 million deal has already been struck with Wolverhampton Wanderers for Matheus Cunha. A similarly priced move is also being negotiated with Brentford for Bryan Mbeumo, but an agreement is yet to be reached.
But a new number nine remains an urgent priority after first-choice Liam Delap rebuffed United’s advances in favour of a switch to Chelsea. Similarly, Amorim is set to miss out on a reunion with Viktor Gyokeres, his former protégé in Lisbon, as the Sporting CP striker draws closer to a move to Arsenal.
Now, another high-profile name can be added to the growing list of rejections – Osimhen.
Turkish Delight
United hold a long-standing interest in Osimhen, 26, who spent the season on loan at Galatasaray after falling out with Napoli’s executive branch last summer.
The Nigeria international proved a revelation in Istanbul, however, propelling The Lions to a league and cup double while scoring 37 goals in 41 games, with a further eight assists.
Galatasaray were keen to extend the loan stay but Osimhen was believed to be interested in securing a move to a top European club. There was also the looming prospect of a blockbuster switch to Saudi Arabia.
And it was the Saudi Pro League who struck first with Al-Hilal tabling a number of eye-watering contract offers, only for the striker to turn them down.
This created an expectation that Osimhen was set to prioritise a top league in Europe over his financial package, putting the two teams at the front of the queue – United and Juventus – on red-alert.
But Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport reveals the 26-year-old frontman has “turned down offers from Manchester United and Juventus, after previously rejecting Al-Hilal,” in favour of prioritising a return to Turkey with Galatasaray.
Osimhen has reportedly agreed “a deal for a €16 million salary plus a reported €10 million sponsorship contract” with his adopted club. But, despite the Super Lig champions being able to offer a massive salary, they cannot meet Osimhen’s release clause in Naples, worth €75 million.
Instead, Corriere dello Sport contends offers of €50m and €60m have been rejected by Napoli’s owner, Aurelio De Laurentiis, whose “response was ‘no’ and ‘no, thank you.’”
Similarly, De Laurentiis turned down a proposal worth a total package of €85 million – “€80 million plus €5 million in bonuses” – from Juventus as the release clause is only valid to clubs outside of Serie A. The report states “Osimhen, now 26, simply isn’t for sale in Italy,” as Napoli do not want to strengthen a domestic rival.
There is no clarity of the nature of United’s offer for Osimhen. But reports have consistently described his wage demands as prohibitive to a move to Old Trafford, and it is likely an agreement could not be reached on personal terms, rather than an offer being rejected by Napoli.
It has proven a messy transfer saga with many twists in the tale.
But Corriere dello Sport concludes by stating Osimhen has himself brought an end to the confusion: “At least part of the problem has been solved by Victor himself: he’s chosen Galatasaray.”
Therefore, yet another striker on the wish list at the Theatre of Dreams has gone by the way side with the number of viable options to bloster Amorim’s front line this summer rapidly dwindling.
Featured image Ahmad Mora via Getty Images
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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.
