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Manchester United are set to face a tough battle if they are to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen this summer.
Following Rasmus Hojlund’s exploits in his debut season, it has become apparent that the youngster is in need of some support up top.
The 21-year-old enjoyed an impressive cameo in United’s 2-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion last weekend, scoring a goal off the bench.
Still, given that he scored as a substitute against Newcastle United as well, it seems as if Hojlund has benefitted from some rest after being overworked thanks to the lack of options at manager Erik ten Hag’s disposal.
Other than the constantly injured Anthony Martial, whose time at Old Trafford is all but over, there is no other natural striker at the club other than the Dane, making the search for another option crucial.
Ivan Toney has been mentioned quite a lot recently, with United reportedly offering €70 million for the Brentford striker.
RB Leipzig frontman Benjamin Sesko has also been heavily linked with United, with his agent confirming that the player has indeed received interest from top English clubs.
Last year, Osimhen had emerged not only as Napoli’s star striker but the standout player in the Serie A, scoring 26 goals in 32 league matches to help seal the Serie A title for Napoli after an almost 30-year drought.
While Napoli has capitulated this season, falling to 10th place, Osimhen has remained a consistent producer up front, scoring 15 goals in 24 league games.
Given his consistency in front of goal, Osimhen could indeed be the right kind of striker for United’s lineup. However, luring the Nigerian goal-machine to Old Trafford may prove challenging.
Fichajes have reported that Chelsea “are pushing hard” to sign Osimhen to pair him with Cole Palmer.
Paris Saint-Germain also appear to be in the running, with the article claiming that the Ligue 1 club are the current frontrunners in the race.
Still, given the Napoli striker’s €130 million release clause, it makes more fiscal sense for United to focus their interest elsewhere in order to remain within their limited transfer budget.
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