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Manchester United have been warned that it will not be easy to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen even though the Nigerian has one eye on a summer switch to Old Trafford.
Osimhen is on United’s wishlist as Erik ten Hag looks to beef up his options in front of goal.
The Serie A goalscorer, alongside Harry Kane, are reportedly United’s priority targets. There is an acceptance however that both deals are extremely difficult to get over the line and it is for this reason that the club has outlined alternative options.
The Peoples Person reported that Atalanta forward Rasmus Hojlund and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Kolo Muani could be pursued if transfers for Kane or Osimhen prove unfeasible.
Ben Jacobs spoke to TEAMtalk and revealed that the likes of Goncalo Ramos, Dusan Vlahovic and Tammy Abaraham are also ones to look out for.
On Osimhen, Jacobs said, “Manchester United are still very much looking for that traditional number nine and everybody is getting excited about whether it’s going to be Kane or Osimhen, but both are incredibly difficult to pull off. Napoli won’t want to sell Osimhen, but he’s been there long enough now that a deal could well be possible.”
Jacobs revealed that Napoli are keen on doubling what they paid Lille for Osimhen. Gli Azzurri forked out around €70million for the 24-year-old and so would demand a fee in the region of €140m-€150m.
“When you sign a player and invest a big fee, which is what Napoli did, they want a financial return if they’re to let the player go. But Osimhen dreams of the Premier League. And I think Manchester United is more likely than Chelsea at this point because Osimhen’s always had one eye on Manchester United.”
“He actually nearly joined them before moving to Napoli, but didn’t because he wasn’t convinced he’d get the game time.”
On the Kane front, Jacobs reiterated that the England captain’s future at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is heavily contingent on what happens with the club’s structure in the coming weeks.
There is a willingness by Kane to extend his stay with the North London outfit but this is dependent on the managerial appointment made and how the club navigates the uncertainty surrounding Fabio Paratici.
Kane also wants Champions League football.
Jacobs adds, “Everything Manchester United are doing might be serious about Kane, but it’s kind of internal. And it’s kind of working out where they stand on the player’s side.”
As United explore whether a pursuit of Kane is probable, the Reds are wary about the prospects of dealing with the no-nonsense Daniel Levy, who will make it extremely hard to sign the Tottenham number nine.