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Man Utd ‘could be the ones’ to trigger striker’s release clause in January after Ashworth exit

Man Utd are preparing an offer for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen in the January transfer window, according to reports in Italy.

The Red Devils have been struggling to score goals in the Premier League this season with Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee not reaching the numbers required of them.

Rashford and Zirkzee did get a brace each as Man Utd beat Everton 4-0 in the Premier League recently as Ruben Amorim won his first home league game in charge of the Red Devils.

But Man Utd then blanked against Arsenal in a 2-0 loss before Nottingham Forest defeated them 3-2 on Saturday with Hojlund and Bruno Fernandes the Red Devils scorers.

There has been speculation surrounding a possible striker addition in the winter with rumours that Zirkzee is being eyed by a number of Serie A clubs on loan.

One player rumoured to be a possibility in the January transfer window for Man Utd – who have just let go of sporting director Dan Ashworth – is Osimhen with the Napoli striker currently on loan at Turkish side Galatasaray.

The Nigeria international has contributed 10 goals and four assists in 13 appearances in all competitions since moving to Galatasaray in the summer.

And now Il Mattino claim that Man Utd ‘could be the ones’ to pay Osimhen’s €75m (£62m) release clause in his contract during the January transfer window.

Italian giants Juventus ‘have set their sights’ on the Nigerian too, while Paris Saint-Germain, like Man Utd, are keen on a winter transfer with the money set to be ‘immediately reinvested in the January market’ by Napoli.

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Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna spoke about Osimhen’s future on Sunday after speculation about a potential January transfer has ramped up in recent weeks.

Manna told DAZN: “Nobody called us. Osimhen is a player owned by Napoli who is playing on loan at Galatasaray. I would say that we are talking about it too much. At the moment there is absolutely nothing and we are focused on the pitch.”

However, Man Utd fans could be right to read the latest reports with a large dose of scepticism after Italian journalist Paolo del Genio said last week that rumours of a potential move to Old Trafford are likely to be “a market lie”.

Del Genio said: “I’ll go out on a limb and say that this is nothing more than a market lie.

“There is no chance, at the moment, that the striker now at Manchester United could end up at the court of mister Antonio Conte in the possible negotiations between the Red Devils and the Neapolitans for Victor Osimhen.”

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