Manchester United hoped to entrust Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy to Victor Osimhen this summer, but the striker’s unwillingness to make the move ‘discouraged’ the talks.
Osimhen was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United throughout the summer transfer window, with Erik ten Hag keen to strengthen his forward line.
A potential swap deal with Ronaldo was mooted late in the window as the Portuguese striker sought to seal a move to a Champions League club.
Several proposals were put forwards, with talks taking place behind the scenes on a deal that would have seen Manchester United pay a huge fee for Osimhen and include Ronaldo as part off it.
It ultimately never happened as Osimhen was not keen on the move to England, while the finances were also heavily in Napoli’s favour in every suggested proposition.
Several reports in Italy have since insisted that no such deal was ever on the table between Manchester United and the Serie A side, but La Repubblica insists it was.
“After all, the number nine stayed in Italy above all with this objective (shining at Napoli),” Area Napoli report them saying.
“Which already in the summer had pushed him to not give too much weight to the pharaonic offer received from Manchester United, who hoped to entrust him with the legacy of Cristiano Ronaldo.
“In the end, the deal did not go through due to the lack of an economic agreement between the two clubs, which were discouraged by the African striker’s lack of interest in the negotiations.
“Osimhen is the ace Napoli are preparing to drop on the Scudetto table, having managed to stay up there even without him, but the goalscorer who exorcised CR7 is now in top form and Spalletti is eager to throw him into the fray.”
