Napoli striker Victor Osimhen pictured on loan at Galatasaray
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen pictured on loan at Galatasaray
Manchester United suffered yet another difficult day in the summer transfer window on Thursday as one of their top transfer priorities decided to move elsewhere.
Ipswich Town's Liam Delap has been destined to leave the club after the Suffolk club suffered relegation from the Premier League. His £30m release clause proved to be enticing to United and they made him one of their top priorities.
However this week, United were informed that Delap wanted to move to Chelsea and just like that, the Reds are scrambling for an alternative. One of the more popular options to bolster the United attack is Victor Osimhen.
The Nigerian centre-forward is set to leave Napoli this summer having missed out on a permanent exit last year. He instead had to settle for a loan move to Galatasaray where he showed his class scoring 36 goals and keeping himself in the demand of European football's top clubs.
Reports in Italy have suggested that United recruitment chief Matt Hargreaves is in Naples thrashing out a deal for Osimhen. However, before United sign off on it, the 26-year-old will have to pass Ruben Amorim's test.
Speaking prior to the Europa League semi-final first leg against Athletic Bilbao, Amorim was asked about the prospect of signing another striker, Viktor Gyokeres.
It was reported that the Swede wants to play Champions League football next season and United's head coach was quick to shut down this as being a valid reason to join the club.
"Gyokeres deal? I didn't talk to him," Amorim insisted.
"But if a player only wants to come to Man United to play Champions League, then he won’t come. We want players who want to represent United, not players who want to play certain competitions."
While he was referring to Gyokeres at the time, that sentiment relates to Osimhen as well. Amorim needs to be sure that the forward is signing for the right reasons and if he feels that the striker only wants to join because Champions League football in the future is a possibility, he won't be signed.
The ball is therefore in Osimhen's court. It is up to him whether he would want to sign for United for the right reasons and not just to get out of Napoli and further increase his personal net worth.
---
Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including and , and you can also watch along on .