Victor Osimhen red flag re-emerges for Manchester United

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Manchester United have been strongly linked with a move for Victor Osimhen ahead of the summer.

Victor Osimhen is one of the most exciting strikers linked with a blockbuster move to Manchester United in the upcoming transfer window.

The 24-year-old has been heavily linked with filling Manchester United’s vacant striking position.

TeamTalk report Osimhen is interested in United too, but Italian outlet Il Mattino warn Napoli could seek anywhere up to £150 million for his services this summer.

Victor Osimhen red flag re-emerges

With Napoli on course to win the Serie A title, Osimhen is going to be very expensive. Whether you believe it could be as much as £150 million or not, the forward will certainly fetch in the region of £100 million.

The Nigerian international has scored 25 goals this season in all competitions for Napoli.

If Manchester United are going to invest a nine-figure fee towards Osimhen, then they may have just become a little more reluctant, with the striker’s injury issues flaring up again.

Heading into this week’s Champions League showdown between Napoli and AC Milan, Osimhen is expected to miss the first leg, having missed the training session ahead of the game, TMW report.

He has not featured since picking up an injury on international duty for Nigeria last month.

Fitness and injury issues have been the one thing holding Osimhen back in his career so far.

He has not managed to put together a single 30 games plus league season in his entire career. The highest he managed was 27 league games for Lille in 2019/20.

At Napoli he has 23 appearances this season to his name so far, following on from 27 and 24 in the previous campaigns.

Now at a critical stage of the season, Osimhen risks missing out on his side’s crucial game.

So, is it fair to call him out for this, when Manchester United’s own Marcus Rashford is currently out with injury, and Anthony Martial has been out for so long?

Perhaps not, injuries are unavoidable, but United have to look at Osimhen’s failure to play 30 games in a league season to date, and ask if this is a trend, a pattern which could repeat itself?

Martial’s own injury issues crystallise the importance of having a striker who is available as often as possible.

Osimhen would cost an incredible fee, and it is a gamble United may choose to take. For the matches he is fit for, 25 league games a season, he would be a substantial upgrade.

Yet at the extravagant prices Napoli are looking for, this may be a red flag which prompts Manchester United to think twice, and ultimately move in another direction.