In a desperate bid to capture the signature of the Super Eagles forward, Manchester United have offered Napoli striker Victor Osimhen a contract worth N75M (£146,000) a week.
Osimhen has been a subject of multiple transfer reports having been linked with several top Premier League sides.
Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle United, and Manchester United are all vying for his signature following his impressive season in the Italian Serie A with Napoli.
The striker joined Napoli in the summer of 2020 for €80m with ads-on and has a contract with the Naple-based club until 2025.
The 23-year-old has since become a key figure at the club and is currently the club’s leading scorer with 18 goals in 31 appearances so far this season.
Though reluctant, Napoli are open to his sale this summer, but will reportedly seek a whopping £85m (€100m) for his services.
The Parthenopeans rejected Manchester United’s first offer for Osimhen but now the Red Devils are looking to offer Anthony Martial in a swap deal as they bid to rebuild the team following another poor season.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, United are reportedly hopeful of securing his signing. With talks already underway.
The website claims Osimhen could agree a five-year deal worth £146,000 a week. That is more than double the money he currently earns at Napoli.
Osimhen’s journey to becoming one of Europe’s most sought after players, has been denial and rejection but the lad never gave up.
The young striker, endured a testing time at his first European club Wolfsburg, which he joined following his eye-catching performances at the 2015 U-17 World Cup in Chile.
The forward starred at the tournament, winning the Golden Boot and Silver Ball awards after helping Nigeria clinch the title.
Osimhen made 12 league appearances for the club but didn’t score a goal. The forward feels Wolves did not give him the needed support but also revealed other challenges he encountered that limited his productivity.
“The weather, the language, the food (affected me). It was my first time in Europe, I was just 18-years-old and I didn’t have enough time to acclimatize. They didn’t believe in me very much,” Osimhen told Sport1.
Wolfsburg managing director Jorg Schmadtke admitted the club was not patient with the Super Eagles striker.
“The most important lesson is that you have to be patient with some transfers. You can’t say: We’ll sign you up, provide board and lodging, and then it’ll work. The importance of patience is sometimes underestimated,” Schmadtke told Sportbuzzer.
In an effort to reignite his career, the striker moved to Belgium to team up with Sporting Charleroi on loan and was immediately a hit with the First Division A club.
Osimhen scored 20 goals in 36 games during his temporary stay and was rewarded with a permanent deal but his sparkling form caught the attention of Ligue 1 club Lille, who secured his signature a few months after the forward committed to the Zebras.
“I think that the love and acceptance that I experienced in Charleroi helped me a lot. I had just come out of a difficult situation and my self-confidence was at its lowest point,” Osimhen added.
Despite coming in to fill the vacuum created by the departure of one of Lille’s best players Nicola Pepe, the striker seemed not to feel the pressure as he immediately hit the ground running.
The forward then signed for the Parthenopeans in 2020 in a club-record fee of €80m with bonuses, to become Nigeria’s most expensive player. (PUNCH/Gazello Sports)
