Would Man Utd swap Cristiano Ronaldo for Napoli's Victor Osimhen?

James Shearman

26 Aug 2022 14:20 CDT
3 min read

Victor Osimhen in action for Napoli. — © ProShots

Napoli forward Victor Osimhen would be interested in a move to Manchester United if a swap deal with Cristiano Ronaldo can be agreed.

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Jorge Mendes has been scrambling in the final days of the window to get Cristiano Ronaldo out of Manchester United, with the player keen to leave.

Ronaldo has been angling for a move all summer but nothing has materialized, with clubs such as Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain all rejecting the opportunity for various reasons.

Some have cited Ronaldo’s age, while others have said no due to his tactical fit or the high cost of the operation itself, as the 37-year-old’s wages will be hard to take on.

He wishes to move to a club where he can play Champions League football in the final years of his career, and Napoli seems like the only viable option at this stage in the window.

The Italian side are keen to bring him over as well, believing that his status will help elevate the club.

Indeed, Mendes has suggested a swap deal where Osimhen goes to Manchester United and Ronaldo goes to Napoli, which both players are open to.

As part of the deal, Osimhen would get a considerable wage increase, in addition to being a first-team regular, according to Radio Punto Nuovo.

Would Man Utd swap Ronaldo for Osimhen?

Cristiano Ronaldo met expectations in his return to Old Trafford, individually, scoring 18 goals in 27 Premier League starts.

However, the signing disappointed massively from the team's perspective, as the Red Devils finished in sixth place, despite being touted as title contenders.

And much of that has been put down to Ronaldo's inability to contribute to the team, besides scoring goals.

This looks to be a problem that new manager Erik ten Hag will also not be able to overcome.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s representative Jorge Mendes has approached Napoli over a potential move.

Mendes is working hard to find Ronaldo the solution he wants 💭 pic.twitter.com/Fu1FCUbvgR
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 26, 2022

In possession, Ten Hag wants the forward to take part in the build-up of play far more than Ronaldo, a poacher at this stage of his career, is capable of doing.

And, at 37 years of age, the Portugal international lacks the necessary energy to press the opposition's defenders.

Indeed, a more youthful player such as Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford or Napoli's Victor Osimhen would provide the Dutch boss with a better fit up front.

Osimhen, at just 23, could be molded into the team player Ten Hag is looking for, while also able to take on the goalscoring burden of the 'number nine' position.

The Nigerian has 26 goals in 41 Serie A starts and would be an excellent addition to the United squad, if they can convince Napoli to agree to a swap deal.