Report: Arsenal leapfrogged by Manchester United in race for 'phenomenal' £77m striker

By Giuseppe Labellarte

Arsenal have been linked with prolific Napoli and Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen in recent weeks.

Indeed, a report in Gazzetta dello Sport last week claimed the Gunners were the ‘number one contender’ to sign him.

However, La Repubblica have now claimed that Manchester United are currently in pole position for Osimhen.

The Italian outlet – via Sport Witness – claims Napoli are ‘grappling with Osimhen’s future’ amid links away.

That’s because ‘the Nigerian is very popular in the Premier League’.

And while Manchester United are ‘on pole’, Newcastle United are ‘ready to go crazy’ for him too.

The outlet also mentions a price of ‘around €90m’, or £77m, for Osimhen.

“Runs alone at five players and gets through”

It’s no surprise that the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle are reportedly eyeing the 23-year-old.

He has been in sensational form this season, registering 17 goals and six assists in 29 appearances for Napoli.

Osimhen has also scored four goals for Nigeria in World Cup qualifying this term.

The Gunners, the Red Devils and the Magpies could all do with bolstering their attacking ranks this summer.

And Osimhen would no doubt improve all of their front lines massively.

Cagliari coach Walter Mazzarri told DAZN last year, via Football Italia: “Osimhen is phenomenal because he runs alone at five players and gets through.

“If you look at genuine scoring opportunities, compared to the number Napoli created lately, I didn’t see that many.

“We intentionally kept a deep defensive line, because if we pushed higher like the other teams, we’d concede four or five like they did with Osimhen able to run into space.”

However, the former Lyon man won’t come cheap. Some reports have suggested that Napoli want £84million for him.