Man United among favourites to sign Chelsea target

Manchester United will hope to return to winning ways when they face Everton on Saturday afternoon. 

The Red Devils were dominated by rivals Manchester City in the derby on Sunday and ultimately lost 3-1 at The Etihad.

United did take the lead away from home, before a Phil Foden brace put City in front and Erling Haaland added a third late on.

The result leaves Erik ten Hag’s side sixth in the Premier League table, with their chances of finishing in the top four now seemingly unlikely.

Despite the poor result in the Manchester derby, United may have been handed a huge boost in their pursuit of a new striker.

According to The Independent, the Manchester club are among the favourites to sign Napoli forward Victor Osimhen this summer.

The Nigeria international has been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea in recent months, but the report claims that the Red Devils and French side Paris Saint-Germain have emerged as leading contenders in the fierce battle to sign him.

Osimhen has attracted interest from several of Europe’s top clubs

Osimhen, 25, moved to Naples from French side Lille in 2020 and is now largely considered to be one of the best strikers in Europe.

In total he has scored 72 goals in 123 matches for the Italian side across all competitions, and he played a crucial role in helping the club to win the Serie A title last season.

The report suggests that those in charge of United’s recruitment will likely perceive Osimhen as the perfect candidate to bolster their front line, chiefly due to his age and adaptability.

United’s search for a new forward comes despite the club signing Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta last summer.

After a slow start, the Dane has now scored in each of his last six Premier League games, including a brace against Luton Town last time out.

Fellow striker Anthony Martial is set to depart Old Trafford this summer, though, and those in charge of the club are therefore keen to bolster their attacking ranks during the upcoming transfer window.