Krishnan Sreekumar
Newcastle United join Manchester United in the transfer race for Napoli star Victor Osimhen
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, via Sport Witness (h/t Express), Newcastle United have entered the transfer race to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen in the summer, battling other Premier League clubs including Manchester United.
The Red Devils lack depth in their frontline. As things stand, Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani, and Marcus Rashford are the only forwards available at the club at this moment in time.
Mason Greenwood has been indefinitely suspended and Anthony Martial is out on loan at Sevilla, although the Frenchman is expected back in Manchester ahead of the new season. Despite these names, the Red Devils have struggled in front of goal this term and will be looking for someone to turn their fortunes around.
At Naples, Osimhen has continued where he left off in France with Lille, regularly finding the back of the net and leading the line effectively. His goals have helped the team sit second in the Serie A table, only three points behind leader AC Milan.
Lavish spending in the summer
His displays in Italy have also caught the attention of newly rich Newcastle, who are interested in securing his services in the summer to continue with their lavish spending after the business they did in January. It is said that the owners will allow Eddie Howe to build on his recruitment from the winter transfer window now that Premier League survival looks like a much more real possibility.
However, the Magpies will have to get in the queue for the Nigerian striker behind other Premier League clubs, with a transfer battle expected in the next window over Osimhen between Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Man United. However, all of these clubs will have to open their wallets to convince Napoli to sell Osimhen ahead of the new season.
Despite never playing in England, Premier League clubs seem to be very keen on securing the services of the Nigeria international, who admittedly is not a big name in world football – especially in comparison to his fellow strikers in Robert Lewandowski or Karim Benzema.
However, the forward has quietly but effectively gone about his job in Italy since he joined the club in 2020 from Lille, ensuring that his name appears on the top end of the scoring charts. Despite only spending around two years at Naples, the striker already seems set for a high-profile move in the summer provided that interested clubs give Napoli the price they seek.
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While Arsenal are looking for strikers post the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Tottenham are struggling to hold on to talisman Harry Kane with each passing transfer window, the north London clubs seem to be keen on bolstering their attacking ranks as well.
Only time will tell whether Osimhen moves to the Premier League, and adapts to the physical and intense nature of the competition. Based on his time in France and Italy however, the striker has proved that he can do the job regardless of the challenge.
