Three huge names, three huge clubs. The forward lines of Manchester United, Arsenal and Juventus are all expected to look different when the new season kicks off and all three teams are scrambling over a trio of the world’s best strikers, who are all on the market at the same time: Victor Osimhen, Jonathan David and Viktor Gyokeres.
Each of the three clubs have other names on their shortlist and each of those three strikers have other suitors besides the three. But what makes this summer really interesting is that it is almost inevitable that all three players will move somewhere; staying put is not an option.
David is already a free agent, having left LOSC Lille. Gyokeres and Osimhen have both burned their bridges at their current clubs after huge public spats with their respective presidents.
United have, for once, kept their cards very close to their chest having missed out to Chelsea on their first choice, Liam Delap, at the start of the summer. They have been linked with all of the “big three”, but at this point in time, they do not seem particularly hot on any of them.
A few days ago the news broke that Viktor Gyokeres’ agent, Hasan Cetinkaya, had “officially” informed the Red Devils that they were not in the running for the Swede’s signature and that he had chosen Arsenal as his next club.
Yesterday, Juventus received the same message from Gyokeres’ camp, according to Corriere dello Sport (today’s paper edition, page 2).
“The agent of the goalscorer has in fact warned the new Juventus DG [Damien Comolli] that Arsenal are the team that the Swede has put at the top of his preferences … things are moving forward inexorably.”
The Old Lady has reacted quickly to the update and have immediately shifted their attentions to David.
CDS claims that “The [path to] Osimhen seems tortuous – more than €85 million are needed for the contract and another €12 at least for the player while on Jonathan David there is now cautious optimism.
“Their offer, slightly lower than the demands, remains on the table and, at the moment, appears to be the best given that the other suitors, from Napoli to Inter, passing through Barcelona, PSG and Manchester United, seem to have withdrawn.”
So, if Gyokeres to Arsenal and David to Juventus are inevitable, then United are left with Osimhen.
Recent reports have suggested the Old Trafford club have asked the Nigerian to lower his wage demands, whilst others have linked him with a move to Chelsea – the club he supported as a boy – and Galatasaray. And with Napoli extremely keen on Darwin Nunez, Liverpool have also emerged as suitors with a potential swap deal in the pipeline.
It seems clear that, having rejected an eye-watering offer from Saudi Arabia, Osimhen will come to the Premier League this summer. But given what their rivals can offer him, United can’t be considered favourites to sign him.
It is looking increasingly likely that United are steering clear of these sagas and have turned their attention to Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, a less prolific but younger striker. That, too, is unlikely to be an easy negotiation, with Eintracht’s starting point at a reported €100 million.
Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta and FC Porto’s Samu Aghehowa are other options.
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Red Billy Red Billy is the managing editor of The Peoples Person, author of three books and totally obsessed with football’s transfer market. Billy still insists Matteo Darmian and Alex Telles could have made it at United given half a chance.
