Manchester United have been told they must pay £140million to sign Victor Osimhen this summer after agreeing a deal to sign his Napoli teammate Kim Min-jae.
Osimhen is a prime target for United this summer and he heads the club’s striking shortlist. United scouts attended Napoli’s Champions League clash against Milan last month and have been planning a move for the Nigerian since last summer.
His Napoli teammate Kim, 26, has already decided to join United despite only moving to Naples last year. The South Korean international enjoyed a tremendous campaign as he starred in the club’s remarkable Serie A title-winning campaign, but his contract contains a £43million release clause.
A deal for Kim is said by Naples-based Il Mattino to be in place, the player has no doubts about joining United – who simply need to pay his clause. Indeed, Napoli have already lined-up Kevin Danso of Lens as Kim’s replacement. A deal for Osimhen is more complicated as no such clause is in place, but Napoli do not consider him as one of their ‘untouchable’ players.
Indeed, Napoli have been planning to sell the Nigerian since last summer; their signings of Giacomo Raspadori and Giovanni Simeone – initially on loan deals – was with a long-term view to softening the blow of Osimhen’s departure.
That is not a foregone conclusion this summer, but president Aurelio De Laurentiis will sanction a sale if an offer in excess of £140million arrives. Of course, this could be negotiated down should Napoli’s stance change but they are open to a sale.
Have Your Say! Would Kim and Osimhen be strong signings for Man Utd? Tell us what you think here.
Instead, De Laurentiis views Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Stanislav Lobotka as the two players who will not be transferred under any circumstances this year. They believe that due to their system and squad, that duo is irreplaceable.
Osimhen spoke in March that it would be his “dream” to play in the Premier League as links with him moving to Old Trafford intensified. United have subsequently sent scouts to monitor the striker’s play.
The striker said: "I think playing in one of the top five leagues in the world is an amazing feeling for me. A lot of people worldwide consider the Premier League as the best and the strongest league but now I'm in one of the best leagues in the world which is the Italian Serie A.
"I'm working so hard to make sure that I achieve my dream of playing in the Premier League someday but as I said, it's a process and I just want to keep on this momentum and continue to do well."
