Manchester United passed on Victor Osimhen over AFCON concerns

Manchester United reportedly walked away from a move for Victor Osimhen largely because of concerns around the Africa Cup of Nations schedule.

Former first-team coach Benni McCarthy revealed that while the Nigerian striker was highly rated internally, the club worried about losing him mid-season during AFCON.

Osimhen had just come off a sensational year with Napoli, where he played a key role in delivering a historic Serie A title and emerged as one of Europe’s most feared forwards.

Despite his profile and goalscoring record, United were reluctant to commit a fee in the region of £100 million for a player who would periodically be unavailable during crucial parts of the campaign.

Instead, the club chose to invest in Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta, opting for a younger striker they felt could be available throughout the season and develop over time.

Osimhen, meanwhile, moved on to continue his career with Galatasaray, maintaining his reputation as a top-level striker on the European stage.
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