Serie A side Napoli are looking to ‘exploit’ Man Utd interest in Victor Osimhen to get a deal for Alejandro Garnacho over the line, according to reports.
The Red Devils have had a terrible first half of the season with Ruben Amorim unable to turn things around after replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag in November.
Amorim’s side had put a couple of good performances against Liverpool and Arsenal recently but two poor displays against Southampton – although they won 3-1 – and Brighton have squeezed the positive energy out of many Man Utd fans.
Yankuba Minteh put Brighton ahead against Man Utd at Old Trafford on Sunday before Bruno Fernandes scored a penalty to bring the Red Devils level before half-time.
But Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter scored two second-half goals to give Brighton a 3-1 win and see Man Utd remain 13th in the Premier League table.
Man Utd are hoping to provide Amorim with some reinforcements but it’s understood that they will have to sell before they buy anyone in the January transfer window.
One player who is attracting lots of interest is Garnacho with the Man Utd winger the subject of two bids from Napoli, while Tottenham and Chelsea are also reportedly keen on his services.
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And now Italian publication Il Mattino (via SportMediaset) claims that Garnacho has told Man Utd: “If I leave England, it is only for Napoli”.
The report adds:
‘Important clarification given that Tottenham and Chelsea (who proposed an exchange with Sancho) have knocked on the door of the Red Devils in the last few hours, an assist that Napoli want to exploit despite the difference between offer and request being very large and approaching 20 million euros.
‘The blue club wants to do everything to give Garnacho to Antonio Conte who, even yesterday, reiterated his line: I want a player who serves the project, not a purchase made ‘only’ to plug the departure of Kvaratskhelia.
‘An additional variable could enter the negotiation, given that Napoli has let the Red Devils know that, if they wanted Victor Osimhen , they could give a discount on the 75 million euros they are asking for whoever wants the Nigerian, currently on loan at Galatasaray.
‘Manchester United need reinforcements to give to Amorim, they have not yet managed to sell Rashford and Osimhen could tempt the English…’
Man Utd legend Paul Scholes insisted over the weekend that he “wouldn’t be worried” if the Red Devils decided to sell “scruffy” Garnacho in January.
Scholes said on TNT Sports: “Man Utd can probably get better than Garnacho. Although he’s young and there’s more to come he’s scruffy in his technique at times and his decision making at times is really poor. I wouldn’t be worried if they sold him. But Mainoo I’ll be offended by that.”
