Man Utd transfer target Osimhen matching Salah
Carlo Garganese
- 20 Mar 2022 15:00 GMT
- 4 min read
Victor Osimhen sent Manchester United yet another transfer message on Saturday afternoon as his clinical double against Udinese kept Napoli’s Scudetto hopes alive.
Osimhen buried two brilliant finishes – the first a header and the second with his right foot – as Napoli came from a goal behind to beat Udinese 2-1.
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That result means that Napoli finish the weekend above champions Inter and just three points behind league leaders Milan with only eight rounds of the season remaining.
The fact that Napoli are in the mix for a first Scudetto since Diego Maradona led them to the title in 1990 is thanks to Osimhen.
He has scored Napoli’s last four goals and is now up to 15 strikes for the season (11 in Serie A) from 20 starts – none of them from the penalty spot in the league.
Osimhen’s double on Sunday saw him make a bit of history. He is the first Nigerian ever to reach double figures in Serie A for two seasons in a row and only the fourth African ever.
The other three are Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah (formerly of Roma and Fiorentina), ex-Inter hero Samuel Eto’o and AC Milan’s former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah.
2 - Victor Osimhen is the first Nigerian in history to reach the double figures of goals for two different seasons in Serie A and in general the fourth African player to do so, after George Weah, Samuel Eto'o and Mohamed Salah. Incessant.#NapoliUdinese
— OptaPaolo 🏆 (@OptaPaolo) March 19, 2022
Salah scored 14 Serie A goals for Liverpool in 2015-16 and 15 the following campaign.
Osimhen has 11 this term, having scored 10 last year.
It is this form that has made the 23-year-old Osimhen one of their main options to replace Cristiano Ronaldo as Man Utd’s striker next season.
Ronaldo is expected to leave Old Trafford if Man Utd fail to qualify for the Champions League next season.
This is looking increasingly likely as, having been eliminated from the competition this week, Man Utd are four points behind Arsenal in the fourth and final Champions League position in the Premier League, having played one game more.
Great Comeback,Amazing Atmosphere And A Brace⚽️⚽️GOD Is The Greatest🙏🏽We Move @sscnapoli 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/EiRZoqy450
— victor osimhen (@victorosimhen9) March 19, 2022
Osimhen has been a revelation at Napoli ever since joining the club from Lille two years ago and has been one of the major reasons behind their Scudetto challenge this season.
The Nigerian is both a modern and traditional number 9, with all the physical and technical qualities to shine at Old Trafford. He is arguably the best striker in Serie A along with new Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic.
The one sticking point will be doing business with Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis, who will certainly demand at least €120 million for the attacker.
