Osimhen fuels Man Utd transfer speculation after dominating Juventus

Suraj Radia

• Updated: 14 Jan 2023 09:58 GMT
• 2 min read

Victor Osimhen attracted the attention of the footballing world after putting in a masterclass performance for Napoli in their 5-1 dismantling of rivals Juventus.

The 24-year-old netted twice and grabbed an assist to send Napoli ten points clear at the top of Serie A and sending social media into overdrive, with fans from virtually every major European side lusting over the thought of bringing the striker to their club.

UNITED BOUND?: The chances of Man Utd signing Osimhen this summer

Osimhen’s brace was his 12th league goal of the season, four more than any other player in Serie A and among the highest output of any striker in Europe.

The Nigerian is enjoying the most prolific campaign of his career and is just two goals away from his highest goal tally ever, having netted 14 times last season in nearly double the amount of games.

With a seemingly lack of elite strikers on the market in recent times, Osimhen’s breakout campaign could lead to him being a top target for Europe’s elite clubs, with Manchester United among the sides expected to splash out on a number nine this summer.

Napoli’s title surge means they have no real incentive to sell their talisman, however he is entering the final two years of his contract and could seek a new challenge should his side end the season as champions.

Osimhen and ‘Kvaradona’ reaping the treasures for Napoli

After a relatively slow start to the season where he scored just twice in his opening six games, Osimhen picked up a hamstring injury in Napoli’s Champions League loss to Liverpool in September, keeping him sidelined for five weeks.

However, he returned to action as a man possessed in mid-October and has scored 11 goals in as many games since, five more than any player in Europe’s top five leagues in the same timeframe.

Osimhen’s form has largely come down to his partnership in attack with Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, the 21-year-old who joined Napoli in the summer and has 14 goal contributions in the league this season.

MACHINE: Why Kvaratskhelia has been labelled 'Kvaradona' after his dribbling masterclass

Kvaratskhelia is another player who will undoubtedly be targeted by a host of teams this summer, with Liverpool and Newcastle already reportedly looking to test Napoli’s resolve with a €60 milion bid for a player they only paid €10m for in July.

With the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Real Madrid all potentially in the market for a forward in the near future, Napoli will likely face a tough fight holding onto their star players.

However, Maurizio Sarri’s side will at least have the comfort of demanding a blockbuster fee for either player, as well as potentially securing their first Serie A title through the form and quality of Europe’s most deadly attacking duo.