Man Utd SCRAP Victor Osimhen transfer as desperate late ploy fails and new destination emerges

Victor Osimhen has seen hopes of a blockbuster summer move to Manchester United dramatically fade after the Red Devils decided to pursue two other targets instead and despite Napoli offering the Premier League side the chance to sign the on-loan Galatasaray star for a discounted price.

Ruben Amorim is desperate to sign a new centre forward this summer after seeing his toothless Manchester United attack muster a meagre 37 times in 31 Premier League matches this season  – a tally that places them 15th in the top flight and a brutal 35 goals behind the division’s most potent side in Liverpool.

As a result, the club – led by technical director Jason Wilcox and director of recruitment Christopher Vivell – has been doing their due diligence on multiple potential targets and with Sky Germany journalist, Florian Plettenberg, revealing last month that four potential targets had been shortlisted.

To that end, the Red Devils were understood to be looking into the costs involved around deals for Osimhen, Viktor Gyokeres and Bundesliga duo Benjamin Sesko and Hugo Ekitike ahead of the summer window.

The prospect of adding Osimhen to their mix was fuelled by claims that the striker had made a move to the Premier League his priority. And when it had also emerged that Napoli chief Giovanni Manna would be flying to England to try and force through his sale amid claims a discount could be on the table for United, the prospects of a move to Old Trafford looked good.

However, multiple sources, including the Manchester Evening News, have stated that United have now decided to scrap all plans to sign the Nigerian – and despite Manna’s desperate lay ploy to reduce his price to €55m (£47.5m, $60.8m) – less than half the €120m interested suitors were being told to spend 18 months earlier.

As a result, TEAMtalk contributor Ben Jacobs has exclusively revealed that the prospects of Osimhen moving to Saudi Arabia are firmly back on the radar, having revealed the two sides which are his most likely suitors.

READ MORE 🚨 Exclusive: Two Saudi suitors lead the charge as Victor Osimhen lines up surprise move

What’s next for Victor Osimhen?

With Chelsea also exploring other options, Osimhen’s dream of a move to the Premier League now looks to have evaded him.

And while the prospect of a move to Saudi Arabia can earn the player riches beyond his wildest dreams, the prospects of him making a permanent move to loan side Galatasaray cannot be taken completely off the table and despite their fears that they could be outbid.

“At the moment, I don’t know. Until a few months ago, no one would have even thought about Galatasaray, and many even thought I would leave in January. I personally live for the moment,” the 26-year-old striker stated recently.

“I don’t know what will happen in the summer, but I can say that I am in love with these fans. I love this club, the president, the staff – I love everyone associated with Galatasaray. For me, it is truly a privilege to be here, and I am enjoying this experience.”

Vice president of Galatasaray, Abdullah Kavukcu, is also wary of the difficulties in securing a permanent deal, though he insists it’s not beyond the realms of possibility.

Osimhen will announce his decision in April. At the moment, five of the world’s top clubs are interested in him. His arrival here was a dream – he came, and for now, he is playing with us. In January, there was talk of a transfer, but he stayed,” he told Sport Mediaset in March.

“He loves Galatasaray very much. Right now, he is the dream of all our rivals. Although we are focused on winning the title, we have not had direct discussions with Victor yet. There is no point in talking about it now.

“Galatasaray are a top-level club – if it weren’t, Victor wouldn’t have come. His stay at Galatasaray is not as impossible as it may seem.”

The £102.5m duo Man Utd plan to sign instead

With Osimhen taken off the table for United – at least for the time being – the Red Devils are instead now hurtling along with plans to sign two other stars instead to boost their forward line.

And after the likes of Mark Ogden of ESPN and Fabrizio Romano both confirmed Ipswich’s Liam Delap would now be their top target, those plans have now been ratified by another source in The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell.

“Delap is someone who is a genuine link. [Jason] Wilcox had him when Manchester City signed him from Derby County as a young player, so that is something that they could explore, and that’s something that could make sense financially because I believe Delap has a relegation release clause,” Whitwell told The Overlap before going on to explain why his signing – and the costs involved – are seen as more “palpable”.

Furthermore, United also plan to sign a new No.10, who is comfortable as covering as a central striker, and reports on Wednesday morning revealed the Red Devils have scheduled talks with the agent of a classy Brazilian and after learning of the exit clause that exists in his deal and with the cost for the double deal amounting to some £102.5m.

Meanwhile, Amorim has been warned he needs at least five new signings this summer to transform United’s fortunes, with Gary Neville naming five players – including the Portuguese’s first addition at Old Trafford – as “not good enough”.

Elsewhere, Amorim has growing doubts about Kobbie Mainoo, with a report revealing United are now ‘likely to make a move’ for a Serie A star who’ll serve as Manuel Ugarte’s new midfield partner.

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