Fact: Manchester United desperately need a quality striker this summer.
Fact: One of the world’s greatest strikers, Victor Osimhen, is available this summer for around £65 million.
Fact: Victor has turned down an eye-watering salary to play in Saudi Arabia because he wants to play in the Premier League.
Fact: Osimhen is enthusiastic about joining United, even though they can’t offer Champions League football this season.
The slam dunk is on, but United are dribbling
It seems like a match made in heaven. And yet, aside from some vague reports of being kept informed, United have not made a serious move for the Nigerian bomber, at least, not one known by the mainstream media.
Likewise, Chelsea, Liverpool and Juventus have flirted with the idea of signing Osi but have made no substantial moves, while Arsenal, themselves desperate for a number 9, do not seem to be in the race at all.
It is constantly speculated that Osimhen’s outrageous wage demands are the problem, but transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has called that a myth and stated that the big man is only asking for just under £200,000 per week.
The figure would put him on a level with Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire on United’s salary scale, way behind the likes of Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount.
Perhaps United genuinely want to have sold players such as Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho before they make a serious offer for Osimhen. Perhaps they are biding their time to try to get a better deal. Perhaps they are in negotiations behind the scenes. Perhaps they are not interested at all. Perhaps, perhaps …
The only club other than Al Hillal that have made a serious move for the 26 year old appears to be Galatasaray, the Turkish giants with whom he enjoyed a fruitful loan spell last time around, scoring an astounding 37 goals in 41 games.
Patience is a virtue
As United prevaricate, Gala’s determination and patience looks to have won over the masked marauder if a new report in Corriere dello Sport (today’s paper edition, page 12) is to be believed.
The outlet reports that “Osi has chosen the Gal”.
“Osimhen wants to stay in Istanbul and has communicated his decision to Galatasaray, who are now looking for an agreement with [Aurelio de Laurentiis]. But Napoli will not discount the clause: they want €75 million,” CDS claims.
“Osi intends to continue playing for Galatasaray.”
With Gala already having floated an offer in the region of €60 million and having pledged to meet Osimhen’s salary demands, it seems now to be a just a matter of days before a deal is struck.
United, meanwhile, are nowhere to be seen.
Featured image Ahmad Mora via Getty Images
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Red Billy
Red Billy is the managing editor of The Peoples Person, author of three books and totally obsessed with football’s transfer market. Billy still insists Matteo Darmian and Alex Telles could have made it at United given half a chance.
