Former Super Eagles midfielder Ogenyi Onazi has faulted the reasoning behind Manchester United’s decision not to sign Victor Osimhen from Napoli during the 2023 summer transfer window, Footynaija.com reports.
Recall that former Manchester United coach Benni McCarthy recently revealed that the English giants opted against signing Osimhen at the time because of the prospect of losing the Super Eagles striker mid-season due to international commitments.
According to the South African coach, Osimhen was at the top of Man United’s strikers shortlist that summer but they ultimately snubbed him in favour of other candidates, opting to sign Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta for £72 million instead.
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Reacting to the claims, Onazi dismissed the logic behind Man United’s decision not to sign Osimhen, labelling it a “flimsy excuse” that doesn’t make any sense.
“Well, for me, I don’t think that’s an excuse for them not to sign Victor,” Onazi exclusively told Footy-Africa.
“If they know the importance and what he could be able to bring to the table for Manchester United, that shouldn’t be an excuse because there are other players who go to the African Nations Cup in Manchester United and other clubs too as well, that are very important like Mo Salah in Liverpool.
“He’s an important player in the team and they know what he can do for them. Going for the African Cup is just a month and there shouldn’t be a difference between going for the African Cup and then coming back, because even their situation and what they have spent as the club, they struggled so much from the start of the season.
“It’s just recently that they began to get their feet and then winning some games to get to where they are. Victor would have been a very important player in a team and he might even do the job before going to the African Cup and then go and come back.
“For me, it doesn’t make any sense that they passed on the chance. That’s not any excuse for him to say that Manchester United were thinking about him going to the Nations Cup—that is why they didn’t sign him. I think that’s just a flimsy excuse.”
Osimhen eventually moved from Napoli to Galatasaray where his stocks have continued to soar thanks to his goal-scoring exploits for the Turkish Super Lig champions.
