Manchester United are set to activate Victor Osimhen’s €75m (£64m/$86m) release clause after reportedly reaching an agreement in principle with the Nigerian striker for a potential summer move.
According to Tuttosport, the Red Devils have already settled on basic salary terms with Osimhen’s representatives and are prepared to meet the release clause in his Napoli contract as manager Ruben Amorim aims to strengthen his attacking options.
The 26-year-old Nigeria international has been in exceptional form during his loan spell at Turkish giants Galatasaray this season, scoring 30 goals and providing seven assists in just 35 appearances across all competitions.
Osimhen was heavily linked with a Premier League move last summer, with both United and Chelsea interested. However, he ultimately joined Galatasaray on a season-long loan after falling out with Napoli and no club meeting the Italian side’s asking price.
Despite Galatasaray’s desire to make the move permanent, United seem to have gained the upper hand in the race for the prolific striker’s signature.
The Old Trafford club are enduring a challenging campaign under Amorim, currently sitting 14th in the Premier League ahead of this weekend’s match against Bournemouth, and see Osimhen as a crucial signing to improve their prospects next season. Osimhen has become one of Europe’s most lethal forwards, scoring 76 goals and providing 17 assists in 133 appearances for Napoli before his loan to Turkey. He also has an impressive international record with Nigeria, netting 26 goals and contributing 11 assists in 41 appearances for the Super Eagles. He scored his 170th career goal in a 5-1 win over Konyaspor in the Turkish Cup on Tuesday.
The potential deal for Osimhen may be facilitated by the departure of several United attackers, with reports suggesting that Rasmus Hojlund could be offered to Napoli as part of the transfer. The Danish striker has struggled at Old Trafford, netting just eight goals in 45 matches this season.
Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Antony are also believed to be on the transfer list as United look to fund their summer rebuild, while speculation continues over the future of Alejandro Garnacho.
United’s chances of landing Osimhen could improve if they secure Champions League football for next season. Their most realistic route to the competition appears to be via the Europa League, where they face Athletic Bilbao in the semi-finals, with the first leg set for next week.
