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By Ebenezer Bajela.
According to UK tabloid, The Mirror, English Premier League side, Manchester United, have been told to pay £140m to sign Nigerian Victor Osimhen this summer, after agreeing a deal to sign his Napoli teammate Kim Min-jae.
Osimhen has emerged as a prime target for United this summer following his impressive display for the Serie A champions this season and he heads the club’s striking shortlist.
The Mirror added that the Devils had their scouts in attendance for Napoli’s Champions League clash against Milan last month and have identified the Nigerian as the man to lead their attack next season.
Osimhen is enjoying one of the best moments of his career with Napoli this season as he currently tops the Italian Serie A scorers chart with 23 goals, three more than Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez, who is in second position with 20 goals.
The Super Eagles forward has three years left in his contract at the Stadio Amando Maradona, but following a decent campaign so far, a number of European clubs have been linked with securing his services in the summer, with United one of the favourites to land the striker.
His Napoli teammate Kim has already decided to join United despite only moving to Naples last year.
After agreeing to pay the £43m release clause inserted in the South Korean’s contract, the Devils are now looking forward to sign Osimhen, who guided Napoli to their first Scudetto win in 33 years.
A deal for the former Lille player is more complicated as no such clause is in place, but the British tabloid added that Napoli do not consider him as one of their ‘untouchable’ players.
“Indeed, Napoli have been planning to sell the Nigerian since last summer; their signings of Giacomo Raspadori and Giovanni Simeone – initially on loan deals – was with a long-term view to softening the blow of Osimhen’s departure,” read a statement on The Mirror website.
“That is not a foregone conclusion this summer, but president Aurelio De Laurentiis will sanction a sale if an offer in excess of £140m arrives. Of course, this could be negotiated down should Napoli’s stance change but they are open to a sale.”