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The new season should kick off with Liverpool having a new striker, why does Victor Osimhen stand out from the rest?
Liverpool’s hunt for a striker has taken another twist this week as Arne Slot continues his big spending rebuild attempts.
Darwin Nunez has been linked with Napoli which is the foundation for a report by that has suggested Liverpool have offered the Uruguayan international, Federico Chiesa and some loose change for Victor Osimhen.
Why Victor Osimhen could be head and shoulders above for Liverpool
Liverpool have never been the leading club in the race for Osimhen with the assumption that a bid for Alexander Isak remains their priority, despite how much it would cost to put together.
Comparing the three main contenders though, it is easy to see why Osimhen might now be at the front of the queue.
At nearly half the price of Isak, the Napoli striker showed again on loan at Galatasaray why he was once so in demand. There is also one quality, using Data MB’s comparison tool, that could come in useful in the middle of winter and Slot needs his team to be more direct.
All three can score goals, but Osimhen has a physicality and ability in the air that the others can’t match.
Radar comparison of Victor Osimhen, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak highlighting how each of the three strikers performed in 2024/25.placeholder image
Radar comparison of Victor Osimhen, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak highlighting how each of the three strikers performed in 2024/25. | Data MB.
Why are Premier League clubs reluctant to move on Osimhen?
There is a downside to trying to sign Osimhen though as David Ornstein told The Athletic podcast in June:
“For a long time, people I speak to at Premier League clubs were indicating that that's where they think he will end up, the Saudi Pro League, and it could still be the case, but the fact that it hasn't happened so far would indicate that it might not be his priority.
“Premier League clubs are always heavily linked with him, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and no doubt they admire him. Why wouldn't they admire him as a striker, a top player? But that doesn't translate into necessarily doing the deal, and the stumbling block for the Premier League club so far seems to be, one, the salary expectations, and two, maybe he's not deemed to be the right character for them, the profile that they're looking for in terms of age, in terms of where he fits into the team, the dressing room, and again, many factors involved in these scenarios.
“So clearly there doesn't seem to be a future at Napoli where a sale is on the cards. But this is another one, which I don't think we have an absolutely concrete picture yet, and that will inevitably develop later in the summer or as the summer goes on. Do some of the Premier League clubs or clubs on the continent or beyond start to change their stance, start to be a bit more liberal with their numbers, if they get to a point where they're not landing their priority targets, where they're starting to panic somewhat.
“If the season starts and results aren’t going their way or they're struggling to score goals, and he comes back on the agenda as an alternative. And I think a lot of Man United fans, especially on social media, have been sort of pointing towards that. I was quite clear in my reporting early on that he is not a player I expect Manchester United to sign.
“I guess with all of these situations and all of the clubs involved, we know that football can change and decisions aren't always set in stone. Until that window closes, stranger things have happened. And so I'm really fascinated to see what does unfold with Osimhen.”
Liverpool are neither desperate nor should they be forced into overpaying, there are strikers who would walk on broken glass to walk out at Anfield. If Osimhen is chasing the coin, Liverpool isn’t the place for him and Ornstein is right, maybe Saudi Arabia will be his next destination.
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