Manchester United are reportedly planning a mammoth bid for striker Victor Osimhen in January, but could face competition from Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.
Ruben Amorim has got off to a somewhat anticlimactic start as manager of the Red Devils, with a 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Sunday being the latest blow to the coach.
Man Utd’s board will be patient with Amorim and are keen to back him in the January window. Reports suggest that he wants to bring in a new striker to compete with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee and INEOS are keen to satisfy his wish.
According to Fichajes, Man Utd are considering a big-money bid to sign Osimhen in January, but will have to match his €75million (£62.1m / $78m) release clause to seal a deal.
The 25-year-old was in negotiations with Chelsea this past summer until the final hours of the transfer window, but the Blues were unable to reach an agreement on personal terms.
Osimhen was subsequently dropped from the Napoli squad by Antonio Conte after he tried to force an exit, and sent out on a season-long loan to Galatasaray. The loan has a break clause that allows clubs to sign him permanently in January. He’s scored 12 goals in 15 games for Galatasaray so far, taking his career tally to an incredible 126 goals in 238 matches.
The report claims that Man Utd, Chelsea and PSG are keeping close tabs on Osimhen’s situation. Napoli, for their part, are willing to sell the player permanently this winter.
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Man Utd tipped to launch Osimhen bid
Man Utd were reported to be preparing a move for Osimhen in January by Spanish journalist Dani Serrano last week, so Fichajes aren’t alone in their claims.
Sources have revealed to TEAMtalk that Chelsea are still keeping tabs on the striker’s situation. They retain a good relationship with his agents, despite a transfer breaking down in the final hours of the summer window.
As for PSG, they are planning to sell striker Randal Kolo Muani in January so it’s possible they could reignite their interest in Osimhen, who was a concrete target for them this past summer.
A Man Utd move for Osimhen this winter also depends on other factors. They need to be mindful of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR) and may need to sell players before sanctioning any big spends.
From Osimhen’s point of view, he has always been open to testing himself in the Premier League – although Chelsea would be his preference as they’ve spoken with him before and they look set to qualify for the Champions League next season.
Sources have made no indication that Man Utd are preparing a bid for Osimhen in January, although he has caught the attention of the club’s recruiters, so it’s not beyond the realms of possibility.
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Meanwhile, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof have been made available for transfer in January.
The Man Utd duo have both struggled for consistent minutes this season and Lindelof has just picked up a new injury which could rule him out for a while.
Lindelof, 30, and Eriksen, 32, are both in the final year of their respective contracts. As such, the upcoming winter window represents United’s final chance to cash in and collect a fee.
However, any fee generated by the sale of either player will be small, and their potential suitors could opt to wait until the end of the season to get them on a free transfer.
In other news, Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier has been linked with a surprise move to Old Trafford.
Man Utd‘s interest in Meslier is reportedly being led by their goalkeeper scout, Tony Coton, who is also looking at options like John Victor at Botafogo.
It’s claimed Coton has been regularly watching Meslier in action for Leeds and still believes the 24-year-old has big long-term potential.
Man Utd are active in the goalkeeper market because they want someone to push current no.1 Onana – who doesn’t seem to be in danger of being sold just yet but might face stronger competition for his place soon.
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IN FOCUS: Victor Osimhen’s season with Galatasaray
Victor Osimhen 15 games 12 goals 5 assists