Galatasaray of Turkey striker Victor Osimhen has gained a speculative summer transfer push to Manchester United of England from one of The Red Devils’ former players, Louis Saha, who believes the Nigerian sensation would cherish life at Old Trafford.
Sports247 reports that, though the chances of Osimhen moving to England at this point of the season appear unlikely, Saha insists Manchester United are ready to welcome the 2023 African Footballer of the Year before the summer transfer window closes on Tuesday.
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Hooking Osimhen would be a huge coup for United, meaning they succeeded where Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have failed over three seasons in trying to lure the Chile 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup gold medalist and highest goals scorer over to Queensland.
Two of Chelsea’s African legends – John Mikel Obi of Nigeria and Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast – have both repeatedly tried personally to lure Osimhen over to Stamford Bridge without any success. Still, Saha is of the view that United will succeed where others failed.
He is affirmative that the product of Ultimate Strikers FC of Lagos is actually keen on playing at Old Trafford, where his immediate predecessor in Nigeria’s number nine jersey – Odion Jude Ighalo – enjoyed two symbolic terms in the twilight of his career at his dream club.
It’s now left to be seen if the thought of stepping into another spot previously occupied by Ighalo would spur Osimhen into a deal at Man United this week, as is being suggested by Saha, or whether The Red Devils will also miss out like other EPL giants before them.
A report by the UK’s Express revealed: “Former United star Louis Saha has suggested that Osimhen is keen to join the club. The 27-year-old has been connected with Arsenal and Tottenham throughout the transfer window, but Saha maintains the Nigeria international would opt to sign for United.”
The publication added that Saha told MrGamble: “I know for a fact that Victor Osimhen is a Manchester United fan. He loves Man United. I have seen it in his eyes, the impact the club has on him, and he sees the impact he could have on this team.
“‘Osimhen can be another player like Bruno Fernandes. He would quickly come to know the club inside and out. All United have to do is make the connection, but that’s why it hasn’t happened yet.
“Osimhen is still waiting. United missed out on signing Harry Kane, and that was one of their biggest mistakes in the transfer market, but they can correct that mistake by signing Osimhen.
“I think Osimhen is a better fit for United now because of Benjamin Sesko. Osimhen can teach Sesko about movement and being a striker, but they could also play together and combine better than Kane and Sesko would.”
However, Sports247 gathered further that the possibility of Osimhen joining United could depend on what happens to The Red Devils’ Nigerian-born striker, Joshua Zirkzee, whose loan offer to Fiorentina of Italy collapsed after he turned down the bid.
Zirkzee, though, may still be on his way to Italy this summer, as Juventus have submitted an official bid to sign him on loan with a fee of £2.1m and an option to buy him at the end of this season for £25m.
A major snag in that offer, though, is that United are looking for a total package worth £29m to part ways with Zirkzee, which could then open the door for Osimhen to step in, as The Red Devils will need to bring in another forward if the Nigerian-born attacker leaves.
