Manchester United are unlikely to enter the bidding battle for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen due to the hefty price tag, according to Tuttomercatoweb.
The Nigerian has been in superb form for the Serie A club this season. He has bagged 28 goals and five assists from 36 appearances in all competitions.
This has grabbed the attention of elite European rivals including United, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich but none are likely to place a bid.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has set a huge asking price of €160 million for the player and it is claimed that none of the clubs will pay the fee.
The Serie A outfit are currently aiming to negotiate a new deal with the striker. They are prepared to include a lower release clause with an extension.
Man Utd can’t afford another long transfer saga
United attempted to land Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona last summer but a transfer did not materialise.
They agreed a fee with the Catalans after multiple approaches but the Netherlands international was adamant that he was not leaving the club. He refused to negotiate personal terms.
In Osimhen’s case, convincing him may not be a problem with his desire to play in the Premier League but the main stumbling block is De Laurentiis, who does not provide any discounts.
De Laurentiis is one of the toughest negotiators in European football. The Napoli owner decided to keep Kalidou Koulibaly in his prime despite receiving multiple lucrative bids on the table.
With Osimhen contracted until June 2025, we won’t be surprised if he is prepared to keep him for another year at least. Hence, United have to pay the fee or focus on other striker targets.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
