MX23RW : Thursday, February 9 18:53:09| >> :60:1373:1373:

Napoli willing to loan Victor Osimhen to Manchester United?

Napoli willing to loan Osimhen to Man United?
© Reuters
Napoli are reportedly open to allowing striker Victor Osimhen to join Manchester United on loan if there is an obligation to sign the striker for €100m (£86.4m) next summer.

Napoli are reportedly open to allowing striker Victor Osimhen to join Manchester United on loan.

The Red Devils have been linked with a potential swoop for the 23-year-old, amid speculation over the future of Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 37-year-old, who has not been a regular starter under head coach Erik ten Hag so far this season, is allegedly looking to leave Old Trafford and is keen to join a club competing in the Champions League.

According to Italian news outlet CDS, via the Manchester Evening News, Napoli are only prepared to let Osimhen join Man United on loan if there is an obligation to sign the striker for €100m (£86.4m) next summer and if they can recruit Ronaldo on loan as part of the deal.

A recent report suggested that Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes held talks with Napoli over a proposed swap deal involving the Portugal international and 23-year-old Osimhen.

However, Osimhen's agent Roberto Calenda insists that talks have not taken place between the two clubs over a swap deal involving his client.

Napoli's Victor Osimhen pictured on October 24, 2021© Reuters

"No negotiations in progress, no swaps. Victor Osimhen is a Napoli player and wants to play the Champions League with Napoli after winning it on the pitch with pride together with the coach and his teammates," Calenda said on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti has admitted that he would be interested to work with Ronaldo, although an imminent move for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner is not in the pipeline at this stage.

"If you're asking me if I'd like to work with Ronaldo, I tell you no coach would say no to that," Spalletti told reporters. "However, if we go into those areas the journalists like to fill in for themselves, then as Osimhen's agent said, there are no negotiations.

"Speaking to [president Aurelio] De Laurentiis, he told me that he received no offer, so let's remain as realistic as possible here and take into consideration only things that could happen. There are only a few days left in the transfer window, it seems unlikely that could go through. There is nothing concrete at the moment.

"It wouldn't be a swap, it would be two different signings, in that case. One of the two can turn a game by himself. But in any case, at the moment we should not consider things that won't help us pick up three points in Florence.

Nigeria's Victor Osimhen pictured on July 17, 2019© Reuters

"Osimhen is the one who has to be the protagonist there. With a player like Osimhen, who is so talented, we know there is the permanent risk that some rich owner around the world will wake up in the morning and decide to buy him and that includes a club like Manchester United."

While Ronaldo has less than 12 months remaining on his contract at Old Trafford, Osimhen is tied to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium until the summer of 2025.

Osimhen became the most expensive African player of all time when he joined Napoli from Lille in a deal worth around £70m in 2020.

The Nigeria international has suffered with injuries in both of his two seasons in Italy, but he has still managed to contribute with 30 goals and 10 assists in 66 appearances across all competitions.

Osimhen has since made a bright start to the 2022-23 campaign, scoring two goals and providing one assists in Napoli's opening four Serie A matches.

ID:493478:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect6489:

Cristiano Ronaldo future - Click here for more stories

Click here for more stories about Victor Osimhen

Click here for more stories about Manchester United

Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo during the warm-up on August 22, 2022
Read Next:
Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti addresses Cristiano Ronaldo links
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.
rhs 2.0
Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal20162245172850
2Manchester CityMan City21143453213245
3Manchester UnitedMan Utd2213453628843
4Newcastle UnitedNewcastle211010134122240
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs22123741311039
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton20104638271134
7Brentford218943528733
8Fulham229583230232
9Chelsea218672221130
10Liverpool208573428629
11Aston Villa218492531-628
12Crystal Palace216691929-1024
13Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest216691735-1824
14Leicester CityLeicester2163123237-521
15Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2155111530-1520
16Leeds UnitedLeeds2147102836-819
17West Ham UnitedWest Ham2154121826-819
18Everton2146111628-1218
19Bournemouth2145121943-2417
20Southampton2143141738-2115

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Match previews - Daily
Transfer Talk Daily
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!