According to reports from Italy's La Repubblica, Victor Osimhen has rejected the opportunity to join Manchester United during the January transfer window and will not leave his loan spell at Galatasaray. This decision has angered Napoli, who see it as an act of revenge by the 26-year-old Nigerian striker, but they are powerless to stop him.
Despite reports in Nigeria suggesting that Osimhen was planning a move to Manchester United in the winter window, the reality is different. Osimhen does not intend to transfer mid-season, nor does he wish to help Napoli maximize their profits; relations between the two parties soured over the summer.
Osimhen signed a new contract in December 2023, but just six months later, he was agitating for a move. His release clause is set at a staggering €120 million, with no club coming close to this figure in their offers; lower bids from Chelsea and Saudi Professional League teams were rejected on the last day of the summer transfer window.
Ultimately, the Nigerian international was loaned to Galatasaray in September 2024. Napoli hoped he would maintain his form and could be sold for €85 million in January.
However, La Repubblica points out that even if Manchester United had made a move, Osimhen informed Napoli's sporting director, Giovanni Manna, that he would remain at Galatasaray until the end of the season, which would at least secure him a Turkish Super League title.
Osimhen's actions have infuriated Napoli's owner, Aurelio De Laurentiis, who sees this as another example of a player trying to put the club in a difficult position. According to the terms of his contract, if Osimhen is not sold before the end of the season, his release clause will drop to €75 million.
If Napoli cannot sell Osimhen, their potential deal to bring Marcus Rashford from Manchester United will also fall through. The rumored exchange of Rashford for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is also unlikely to happen. Currently, AC Milan, fresh from winning the Italian Super Cup, is the top candidate to rent the 27-year-old English star.
Transfer expert David Ornstein also believes that exchanging Rashford for Osimhen is not very feasible. "There are reports that if Osimhen returns to Napoli from Galatasaray, Napoli will use him to reach an exchange agreement, but I think even if it's possible, it would be very complicated," he said.
Ornstein predicts that Rashford's transfer in January will be very difficult due to his high salary. He explained, "The situation in January will be very tough because he signed a huge contract in 2023 that runs until 2028, earning over £325,000 per week. Who would accept this contract? I've heard reports that he turned down offers from Saudi Arabia, which is inaccurate; the Saudi side refuted this and said there were no offers."
Sky Sports UK reported that Milan discussed the possibility of signing Rashford, but they can only do so on loan, with Manchester United continuing to bear most of his wages. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano said, "Milan is one of several clubs that will definitely start negotiations to rent Rashford in January, and more European clubs will approach Manchester United to understand how they plan to handle the situation. It's still early, but actions regarding Rashford will begin."
Italian media outlet Calciomercato emphasizes that Zlatan Ibrahimovic, currently a senior advisor at Milan, supports signing Rashford. Ibrahimovic is a staunch supporter of Rashford; the two played together at Manchester United and are eager to reunite.