Manchester United are reportedly no longer considering signing Napoli striker Victor Osimhen this summer amid their hunt for Rúben Amorim’s new striker.
Manchester United’s ongoing issues in front of goal remain one of the biggest obstacles to their progress.
Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes have been the only consistent goal scorers in recent seasons, with Rashford netting 30 times during the 2022/23 campaign. However, with Rashford expected to leave following his loan at Aston Villa and Fernandes now playing a deeper role under Rúben Amorim, serious doubts surround the strength of United’s attack.
Rasmus Højlund has shown glimpses of quality but is still developing and may not yet be consistently ready to lead the line. Joshua Zirkzee, meanwhile, appears more comfortable supporting a central striker rather than acting as the main forward himself.
As the summer transfer window approaches, United are actively pursuing attacking reinforcements, with previous reports linking the club to Napoli and Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen.
What Osimhen told United about his transfer
Amid United’s hunt for several new players to integrate into Amorim’s new team, the club is also looking to reduce its total wage bill as it seeks to correct its dire financial situation.
With this in mind, the club are targeting new signings who do not command significant wages, which has been a significant sticking point in negotiations for Victor Osimhen.
Although previous reports had stated that United were close to reaching an agreement with Osimhen over personal terms, it has now been revealed that Amorim’s club are no longer considering his signature.
According to GiveMeSport, a significant reason for United’s new stance is that Osimhen informed the Old Trafford outfit that he would not be willing to compromise on his wage demands of in excess of £300,000 a week, which is beyond what United are prepared to offer.
A second reason United avoided Osimhen
Beyond his wage demands, David Ornstein recently revealed that there was a second significant reason why United and other Premier League clubs have avoided engaging in a transfer for the Nigerian international this summer.
Read More: Where Matheus Cunha ranks on Manchester United’s wage bill as expected salary revealed
Responding to a question about the 26-year-old on Ask Ornstein earlier this week, the transfer expert explained that the player’s character had come into question, considering his fallout with Napoli’s ownership last summer.
“The feeling among most Premier League clubs that have looked into the possibility seems to be that the salary expectations are difficult to meet, and he is perhaps not the player/character they are looking for at present.
“The consensus among these teams seems to be that Saudi Arabia could well prove his destination, but let’s see how it pans out. No doubt he is a brilliant goalscorer and those are in short supply!”
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