Man United add Osimhen to a shortlist of players they are looking to sign next season

ENGLISH Premier League giants Manchester United have added Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen to s shortlist of five they have drawn up as part of ambitious plans to equip the club to compete for the title next season.

Currently playing for Turkish side Galatasaray, Osimhen, 27, is currently one of the hottest properties in world football and is highly sought after. Two seasons ago, Chelsea desperately sought to bring Osimhen to England but the deal fell through and now Man United are looking to see if they can do better.

Last season, Man United finished a distant third in the English Premier League, some 14 points behind eventual winners Arsenal and seven behind second place across-town rivals Manchester City. During the next campaign, the club will be hoping to mount more of an effective challenge for the title, so is looking to strengthen its attack.

Man United coaches has thus drawn up a shortlist of five forwards identified as potential targets to provide competition for Benjamin Šeško. Bought last summer, Šeško, 23, endured a slow start to life in England but as the season wore on, showed signs of improvement under manager Michael Carrick.

However, the club is keen to add a more experienced striker to support their attacking options ahead of the next campaign. Osimhen is considered Man United's dream signing, having enjoyed  another prolific campaign last season, scoring 22 goals and providing eight assists for Galatasaray.

Apart from Osimhen, Manchester United are said to be looking at Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta, Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović, Bournemouth youngster Eli Junior Kroupi  and veteran forward Robert Lewandowski. However, Osimhen is almos4r certain to cost more than any of them, given his reputation and the fact that he is in his prime.

Meanwhile, Osimhen has described Nigeria's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup as a painful setback for both the players and millions of passionate supporters across the country. He added that the failure remains difficult to accept, particularly given the immense expectations of Nigerian fans.

Osimhen said: "It's bad for me, bad for the rest of the guys and bad for every Nigerian who bleeds green and white. We know what this means to the people back home and we know how much they sacrifice to support us. Failing to secure that World Cup ticket hurts more than any injury I've ever suffered on the pitch."

Despite the disappointment, Osimhen said he remains optimistic about the future of Nigerian football, insisting the current generation has the quality and determination to restore the country's place among the world's elite. Osimhen urged supporters not to lose faith, vowing that the pain of missing out on the 2026 finals would serve as motivation as the Super Eagles begin their journey towards qualification for the 2030 World Cup.