Man Utd identify £102m star as 'January target' at Old Trafford

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag will assess how his team ‘shapes up’ before running the rule over Victor Osimhen, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Red Devils were linked with a move for the 23-year-old Napoli star throughout the summer, but a formal offer failed to materialise as they prioritised other signings.

Italian outlet CDS (via the Manchester Evening News) recently reported that the Azzurri were willing to allow Osimhen to join United on loan, but only if certain criteria were met.

It’s claimed that Napoli were insisting any deal for the Nigeria international included an obligation to buy him for €100 million (£86m) at the end of it and they received Cristiano Ronaldo on loan.

However, despite Ronaldo’s eagerness to depart Old Trafford in search of Champions League football, the audacious move never came to fruition.

That has left the five-time Ballon d’Or winner as arguably Erik ten Hag’s only out-and-out striker in his first-team squad following the departure of Edinson Cavani on a free transfer.

It’s a position that the Dutch tactician may be eager to address when the market reopens for business in January, but only time will tell if Ten Hag identifies Osimhen as his number one target.

Jones has informed GiveMeSport that Osimhen was a ‘club target’ rather than someone who Ten Hag put forward and that the tactician will assess his side ahead of the winter window.

In an interview with GMS, he said: “I think he was a club target as much as anything that Ten Hag proposed.

“Now he’ll get the chance to see how this team shapes up into the January window and then assess what kind of striker he needs.”

Osimhen has established himself as one of the most promising young strikers in European football since