"PSG are the only club that can afford Osimhen!" Napoli president issues hands-off warning to Manchester United target

FOOTBALL "PSG are the only club that can afford Osimhen!" Napoli president issues hands-off warning to Manchester United target

Mark Kinyanjui 05:00 - 12.07.2023

Napoli will demand north of £150 million to even consider the idea of selling Osimhen.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has aimed a dig at Manchester United’s financial woes, saying that French outfit Paris Saint-Germain are the "only club that could afford" their reported center forward target Victor Osimhen in this summer's transfer window.

The Napoli striker has been on the Red Devils’ transfer shortlist for a while now and continued to monitor him. He enjoyed an outstanding campaign in Italy last term, scoring 31 goals to help Napoli clinch their first Serie A title in more than 30 years.

As a result of his goalscoring exploits last month, The 24-year-old is considered as one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe at this juncture. A plethora of big-name clubs, including United, Chelsea and Bayern Munich and PSG, have been linked with his signature in recent months.

Osimhen's contract in Naples runs until June 2025, meaning the Italian champions are not under  pressure to cash-in on him this summer. It has been widely reported that they will demand north of £150 million to even consider the idea of selling him.

"The only club that could afford Victor Osimhen is Paris Saint-Germain," De Laurentiis told Mediaset. "If Nasser Al Khelaifi [PSG president] wants to send in a bid around €200m (£170m)… we wait and we see what happens.

"I personally think that Victor will stay here."

United, of course, are operating under strict financial constraints this summer because of the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the prospect of a takeover and Financial Fair Play [FFP]. 

The Eric Ten Hag-coached outfit were understood to have entered this summer's transfer window with a starting budget of around £120 million, half of which has already been spent on Mason Mount.

United are  in desperate need of signing a first-choice goalkeeper following David de Gea's exit and as a result, are  trying to tie up a deal for Inter Milan's Andre Onana.

As well as being in discussions with Inter to sign Onana, United football director John Murtough has also held talks with Atalanta officials over Rasmus Hojlund. The Dane has been identified as the club's primary striker target.

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