The main goal for Manchester United in the summer window should be to add goals to their team, having seen Rasmus Hojlund struggle all season.
Ruben Amorim needs an elite striker in his first full season, with the club currently linked with moves for Liam Delap, Victor Osimhen, and Viktor Gyokeres.
The Englishman’s release clause, now that Ipswich Town are getting relegated, is the most affordable, but whether the Red Devils should go for another young striker with potential instead of a proven performer remains a topic of raging debate.
Plenty within the club want to go after Osimhen, considering the season he has had on loan at Galatasaray. The Nigerian has 33 goals and eight assists in 38 games.
Osimhen’s wage demands
His parent club Napoli are even open to offering a discount to the Old Trafford side, in their bid to thwart direct rivals Juventus from getting their hands on him.
The 26-year-old has no qualms about joining Amorim’s side, even without Champions League football, unlike Gyokeres, which makes him an attractive proposition.
But his wages continue to pose a problem with Givemesport revealing that the Nigeria international is asking to be paid more than United skipper Bruno Fernandes.
The Portuguese currently earns in the region of £375,000-per-week including bonuses (via capology), while Osimhen’s camp is demanding close to £400,000-per-week.
United are reluctant to pay as much, given INEOS’ attempts at reducing an already bloated wage bill, while they do not want to anger their captain, who is the subject of interest from Al-Hilal.
United wary of angering Bruno
“Manchester United have discovered that Victor Osimhen will only entertain embarking on a fresh challenge at Old Trafford if he is offered a contract which sees him shoot to the top of the wage bill after enjoying a productive loan spell with Galatasaray since being frozen out by parent club Napoli, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.
“Osimhen wants a higher salary than Bruno Fernandes in order to join Manchester United, according to GMS sources, making it increasingly unlikely that he will be handed the opportunity to complete a switch to Old Trafford when the transfer window reopens for business during the summer.
“Manchester United have acknowledged that meeting Osimhen’s demands would lead to them facing a potentially difficult conversation with captain Fernandes, GMS sources have learned, and it could hamper their chances of keeping him on board when Saudi Pro League big-spenders Al-Hilal have been circling.”
This is exactly why trusted journalist David Ornstein had suggested a move to Saudi Pro League seems the most obvious route for Osimhen.
Feature image Ahmad Mora via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
