Newcastle join Manchester United in the transfer race to secure the services of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen next term
According to Calciomercato (h/t Daily Mail), Newcastle United have entered the transfer race to provide competition to Manchester United in their attempts to secure the services of Napoli striker Victor Osimhen in the summer.
The forward has been in excellent touch for Napoli this season, becoming their go-to man for goals and assists in Serie A. He has regularly found the back of the net for the Italian club ever since his move from Lille in 2020.
His performances in Naples have caught the attention of United, who are keen on adding attacking reinforcements to their squad in the upcoming summer transfer window. They have been overly reliant on Cristiano Ronaldo this term, and need other goalscoring outlets.
Newly rich Newcastle are also in the market for a striker, wanting to bolster their squad after securing Chris Wood from Burnley in January during the winter transfer window. Callum Wilson has remained sidelined due to injury for a lengthy period of time, which put the onus on Wood to lead the line.
Affording Osimhen’s transfer fee a challenge
Napoli are aware of the interest for their Nigerian star, but will only be interested in listening to other clubs if they are able to afford his £85m price tag in the summer. They may be open to parting with Osimhen for the right price, given that the 23-year-old is also keen to play in the Premier League.
Having been the subject of a complete takeover by their new Saudi owners, the Magpies will be able to afford the transfer fee that the Italian side is demanding, as well as the player’s wages. The new owners are looking to add highly-rated talents to the squad to transform Newcastle in the coming years and improve their league position.
The Red Devils are also keen on signing Osimhen in the summer, given the state of things in attack this season. Ronaldo has been a bright spark and supplied the goals for the team, but the continued absence of Edinson Cavani through injury and Marcus Rashford’s poor form have hampered the side’s chances to win silverware.
To make things worse, Cavani is expected to depart the Manchester side at the end of the season as a free agent, while Ronaldo’s future at the club is unknown after failing to qualify for the Champions League. This makes finding a replacement for the duo a necessity, and Osimhen would prove to be a fantastic addition.
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The Nigerian has been prolific wherever he has been, scoring in the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, and Serie A in his career. There is nothing concrete to suggest that he cannot make it big in the Premier League, which is also a destination he has in mind.
If he joins United, then he could become only the second Nigerian to turn out for the side after Odion Ighalo’s short but impactful loan spell a couple of years ago. If the club does not hurry in their approach for Osimhen, however, they could see the striker stolen from under their noses by Newcastle.