Manchester United look set to miss out on another striker after Viktor Gyökeres as another one of their targets picks his next club.
Manchester United’s transfer window is not progressing at the speed some United fans would like. Ruben Amoirm is in need of a number of signings to ensure there isn’t a repete of last years abysmal Premier League season.
The club has once again done well in terms of youth recruitment. 18-year-old Enzo Kana-Biyik has joined the club from French side Le Havre, and 16-year-old Harley Emsden-James from Southampton.
Additionally, Diego Leon has joined from Cerro Porteño, following the agreement reached in January. These transfers may be successful in the future, but they do not help United in the immediate future.
While the club has signed Matheus Cunha, he’s the only incoming player of immediate first-team quality. The club have been pushing for the signing of Bryan Mbeumo, but at present, they have failed to come to an agreement on payment structure with Brentford.
The frustration at United doesn’t look like it will improve any time soon, as one of the club’s main striker targets has decided on his preferred move, and it’s not to Manchester.
Osimhen has picked his next club
Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport has indicated that Victor Osimhen has decided that the club he wants to join this summer is Galatasaray, not Manchester United.
“Osimhen wants to stay in Istanbul and has communicated his decision to Galatasaray, who are now looking for an agreement with [Aurelio de Laurentiis],” the outlet explained. “But Napoli will not discount the clause: they want €75 million (£64.7 million).”
Osimhen spent last season at the Turkish side, where he registered 43 goal involvements in 41 appearances and helped his side win the Turkish league and cup.
While the Turkish champions achieved European qualification and Manchester United didn’t, this does not appear to have been a factor in his decision, as Osimhen had previously expressed interest in moving to the Saudi Arabian league, where he would also not be participating in the Champions League.
United hit with second striker blow
United potentially losing out on Osimhen isn’t the only blow that the club is facing today in their hunt for a striker. Transfer expert David Ornstein of The Athletic has shared that Arsenal are in advanced talks to sign Viktor Gyökeres.
Gyökeres and Osimhen were two of the most high-profile striker targets that United were said to be interested in signing.
While either player would have been expensive, they had a high chance of success due to their prolific performances in previous seasons, both domestically and in the Champions League.
These are not the first centre-forward disappointments that United have faced this transfer window, as they lost out on the race to sign Ipswich striker Liam Delap when he chose to sign for Chelsea.
United will now have to look elsewhere for a striker, with one option being Dominic Calvert-Lewin who is available for free following the end of his contract with Everton.
Alternatively, The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell has said that United are interested in signing Ollie Watkins in the event that the club sells out-of-form Rasmus Højlund.
Whilst, unfortunately, Amorim and United will have missed out on some of their major striker targets, there are still options in the market. However, these options are all moving to secure their future, so unless United move quickly, they will be left shorthanded up front next season.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is released every Wednesday at 6 pm (BST) on the United View YouTube channel.