Man Utd's plan for Osimhen raid as Nigeria coach gives key message

Victor Osimhen is set to leave Galatasaray as Nigeria coach gave key message with Manchester United ready to pounce.

United have been consistently linked with the 27-year-old who has been nothing short of extraordinary since joining Galatasaray.

In 74 competitive appearances he has scored 59 goals and registered 16 assists, firing the Istanbul club to two consecutive Super Lig titles and a Turkish Cup.

Club legend Patrice Evra has publicly urged United to make their move.

And United's pursuit of Victor Osimhen has received a significant boost after Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle effectively confirmed the striker is in the process of leaving Galatasaray this summer.

Chelle left Osimhen out of his latest squad for the friendly against Poland, citing the player's uncertain club situation as the reason for the omission. His explanation set the transfer market alight.

"We miss two players because Victor Osimhen maybe he is about to change club, so I prefer he stays at home because if he plays and is not at 100 percent is not good," Chelle said.

For a manager to publicly state that one of his star players is in the process of changing clubs is a rare and significant admission — and it has immediately put Europe's elite clubs on notice ahead of the summer window.

United already have Benjamin Sesko leading the attack after his £74m arrival in 2025, but the prospect of adding Osimhen's power, pace and proven Champions League pedigree alongside the Slovenian is clearly appealing to Michael Carrick as he plans his first summer as permanent manager.

A return to Serie A remains possible despite the acrimonious end to his Napoli career — Juventus and Roma are both monitoring the situation.

However a clause in Osimhen's Galatasaray deal prevents him from joining Napoli's direct domestic rivals before late 2027, complicating any Italian move.

The Premier League remains the dream destination for Osimhen. United have the budget, the Champions League football and a manager who has already shown he can get the best out of attacking talent. The Nigeria coach has now confirmed the striker is on his way. The race is on.

The story of how close United came to signing Osimhen last summer has only recently emerged in full.

Former United first-team coach Benni McCarthy revealed that Osimhen's name was scratched off United's list of targets specifically because of the Africa Cup of Nations schedule — "a big part was because of AFCON, and Victor Osimhen's name got scratched off, not a player of interest because of that."

McCarthy added that despite the failed transfer he still believes Osimhen would have been a success at Old Trafford — a sentiment that clearly still resonates inside the club given the renewed interest this summer.

Instead of United, Osimhen completed a permanent move to Galatasaray in July 2025 for €75 million — a Turkish record transfer fee. What followed was a spell that has only strengthened United's conviction that he is exactly the type of striker they need.