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By Peter Akinbo.
Ex-Liverpool midfielder Don Hutchison has hailed Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen as the best centre forward in the world following his stellar display in front of goal this season, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Hutchison criticized Manchester United for ignoring the Napoli striker and instead making a loan deal for Burnley striker Wout Weghorst.
After Cristiano Ronaldo had his contract at Old Trafford terminated, boss Erik ten Hag made a striker signing a priority and the Red Devils swiftly moved for the Netherlands striker.
United paid a £2.7m fee to terminate Weghorst’s loan at Besiktas and then completed a deal for the 30-year-old to move to Manchester. However, while the United chiefs were wrapping up the deal on Friday, Osimhen scored twice in his side’s 5-1 demolition of Juventus that same night.
Hutchinson has knocked both United and his former side as both clubs have ignored Osimhen who he values at £150m, and instead signed Weghorst and Nunez. He claimed that if Ten Hag’s team want to get back to winning Premier League titles, Osimhen would be a signing that they should make in the summer.
“I promise Man United fans that this is not a dig, but on the night that he (Osimhen) scores two and the night that he tore Juve defenders to shreds, Man United spent £2.7m on Wout Weghorst,” Hutchinson told ESPN.
“That tells you where United are at. That’s the sort of player that if they are serious, if they want to win the league again, that’s the sort of player they should be spending £150m on.
“He’s a world-beater. No (they wouldn’t sign him in January) because they haven’t got the money, they are £1bn in debt and Napoli wouldn’t let him go, but maybe in the summer. If Napoli win the league he could stay there.
“The lad is world-class. He plays the game like no other centre-forward. Why are Man United not signing him? Why are Liverpool not signing him and signing Darwin Nunez? He is the best number nine in world football.”
Osimhen has scored 12 goals in 14 Serie A appearances as his brace against Juventus saw the Naples side move nine points clear at the top of the table, and the 24-year-old has been linked with a move to the Premier League.
United could be in the market for a striker in the summer window but have been hampered by financial constraints this month in their search, as they ended up with Weghorst on loan until the end of the campaign.
The Red Devils will have one eye on Osimhen for the remainder of the season as they look ahead to the summer, but if Weghorst is a success on loan then there is a chance he could make his stay at Old Trafford a permanent one. The Dutchman is likely to make his debut on Wednesday (tomorrow) when Ten Hag’s side travel to Crystal Palace.