Manchester United and Arsenal have come up as clear frontrunners to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen who spent the season on loan with Galatasaray in Turkey. The development comes after the Nigerian goal machine refused to return to Serie A with Juventus, multiple Italian media reports confirmed.
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26-year-old Victor Osimhen was the top-scorer in Turkey after he managed 25 goals for Galatasaray (36 goals in all competitions), who retained the league title. Osimhen wants a move away from Naples while Napoli's president Aurelio De Laurentiis is determined not to sell him to a direct Serie A rival, Italy's Il Mattino and Radio Kiss Kiss claimed. However, the Juventus deal fell flat even without the president's intervention as the Old Lady can still lose the UEFA Champions League spot to AS Roma -- a chance Osimhen is unwilling to take. Ahead of the final round, the Turn club is fourth with 67 points while fifth-placed Roma got 66.
How much will signing Victor Osimhen cost?
Napoli has a €75 million release clause attached to Osimhen's current contract that runs out in June 2026 with the option to trigger a one-year extension. Manchester United, under Ruben Amorim, is restructuring itself aggressively and needs a clinical striker up front. Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee, Marcus Rashfor and Mason Mount have failed to fire for the Red Devils this season, who are languishing two spots above the relegation zone in England despite qualifying for the Europa League final.
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Arsenal, meanwhile, is under fire after going trophyless once again despite having a star-studded squad. Manager Mikel Arteta was forced to ask midfielder Mikel Merino to start as a number nine in the absence of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka. While Saka remains an untouchable player, the inconsistent Jesus and Havertz have forced the London club to make another expensive buy. CDM Martin Zubimendi was the last transfer Arsenal completed but the former Premier League champions will certainly rope in a striker when the transfer window opens.
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Sporting's Viktor Gyökeres and Osimhen are reportedly the options that United and Arsenal want this summer. While they are willing to fight it out, the outcome will also depend on who among the two strikers is available for a cheaper rate, reports said. This is particularly true for United who have a fair share of financial constraints to deal with. Ruben Amorim's team are already in talks with Matheus Cunha of Wolves Wanders and Liam Delap of Ipswich Town, which could further reduce the money they hold before the bidding for Osimhen begins.