Victor Osimhen is on Manchester United’s transfer wishlist as they look to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, who departed the club in November by mutual consent
A £103.8 million (€120 million) release clause that Victor Osimhen wants included to a new Napoli deal.
Last season, the 24-year-old Nigerian international scored 31 goals for Napoli, including 26 league goals. That enabled the Italian powerhouses to win the Serie A for the first time in 33 years, and it made big European clubs like Manchester United want to sign Osimhen.
Osimhen is reportedly open to signing a new contract because Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis won’t let him leave this summer. However, the striker requests that a release clause be added to his new contract so that he might realize his “dream” of competing in the Premier League.
Osimhen’s current contract has just two years left, and Napoli don’t want to take the chance of losing him on the cheap in a year.
The status of the contract negotiations between De Laurentiis and Osimhen’s agent Roberto Calenda was reported by Sky in Italy. However, the release clause remains a point of contention between the two parties.
This is due to Napoli’s request for a far greater release clause of £173,000,000 (€200,000,000). Given that elite clubs won’t even consider it at that amount, the clause would effectively become meaningless. After paying Lille almost £70 million for Osimhen’s services three years ago, the Serie A winners don’t want to lose him for anything other than a profit.
Despite a feisty De Laurentiis said in May after Napoli’s Serie A victory: “I don’t care if a Premier League club hits the £103.8 million release clause. “I will not sell Victor Osimhen this summer, no way!”
However, as he acknowledged in March, the player’s “dream” is to play in the Premier League. “I think playing in one of the top five leagues in the world is an amazing feeling for me,” the former Wolfsburg forward said to Sky Sports.
“The Premier League is often regarded as the best and strongest league in the world, but I currently play in the Italian Serie A, one of the best leagues in the world.
“I’m working incredibly hard to ensure that I one day realize my dream of competing in the Premier League, but as I said, it’s a process and I just want to keep on this momentum and keep doing well,” the player stated.
Osimhen has previously been associated with Chelsea, but Man Utd are the team that needs a striker the most. Wout Weghorst temporarily filled in for Cristiano Ronaldo after he left Old Trafford in November last year, but he has now returned to his original club Burnley.
Rasmus Hojlund is available at Atalanta, and Erik ten Hag is interested in acquiring him. However, the Danish international scored just nine goals in Serie A last season, and it might take him some time to develop into one of Europe’s top strikers. Osimhen, in contrast, is already a successful superstar.
That deal appears to be closing this summer, though, as Atlanta seems much more eager to part with the Dane and at a much cheaper price.
