Manchester United are ‘one of the main contenders’ to sign Victor Osimhen in the summer transfer window.
The Nigerian striker is one of the most sought-after players in the world after his goals shot Napoli to Serie A glory last season.
With 72 goals in 123 appearances for the Partenopei, the 25-year-old has attracted interest from Premier League clubs such as Arsenal and Chelsea.
But Man United are looking to make a ‘statement’ signing by capturing Osimhen ahead of their rivals, according to The Independent.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe recently completed his purchase of a minority stake of the Red Devils through his company INEOS and is overhauling the recruitment process at Old Trafford.
The British billionaire wants the club to make smarter decisions in the transfer market, although the new co-owner also recognises “the value of a certain profile of player from time to time”.
Man United will face stiff competition from Qatar-backed Paris St-Germain, who are resigned to losing Kylian Mbappe in the summer and want a high-profile replacement.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis admitted last week that the Italian club are powerless to stop Osimhen from leaving, as the player has a release clause believed to be well in excess of €100 million in his contract.
“Osimhen is a very great player – but you know: Napoli is a fantastic place,” he told Sky Sports News. “There are certain players who fell in love with Napoli and stayed, like (Marek) Hamsik for 11 years. Or like others for eight years.
“And there are others who are attracted by Real Madrid, by PSG, by Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea. So you cannot stop them, especially when they have a fixed amount of money where they can be bought.
“He has a release clause. It’s a very big amount of money.”
