Osimhen could become fifth most expensive player ever as Chelsea Man U line up €120m bids

VICTOR Osimhen could soon become the joint fifth most expensive player ever as English Premier League clubs Chelsea and Manchester United are both lining up €120m bids for him in the summer.

According to Italian football magazine Gazzetta dello Sport, both clubs are prepared to break the bank for the Super Eagles striker. Osimhen has been in fantastic form this season, scoring 15 goals across all competitions, catapulting his club Napoli to the top of Serie A and on course to win their first scudetto since the days of Diego Maradona.

Manchester United need to add goals to their attack and Osimhen could be the ideal partner for Marcus Rashford next season, allowing the England man to operate as a wide forward. Chelsea are also severely lacking in goals right now and although they have improved their midfield and defence with a number of additions, the side needs to bring in a reliable goal scorer.

Osimhen will certainly add some much-needed cutting edge in the final third for both sides and his arrival could help Chelsea challenge for the Premier League title next season. Osimhen, 24, has the technical and physical attributes to succeed in English football and he has the talent to justify the reported asking price as well.

It is yet to be seen if  the two English clubs can agree on a fee with Napoli now as the Serie A giants have a reputation for being difficult negotiators. Napoli will want to recoup as much as possible for their prized asset, so Osimhen's price might even go higher.

Managers like Erik ten Hag and Graham Potter have a proven track record of improving young players, so they could help Osimhen improve further and fulfil his potential. Already, Osimhen has proven himself in Serie A and a move to Manchester United or Chelsea would be the next logical step.

At the moment, Neymar is the world's most expensive player, costing PSG €222m, followed by Kylian Mbappe who cost €145m. Joao Felix of Atletico Madrid is the third most expensive player costing €126m, while Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez is the fourth at a cost of €121m.

Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho and teammate Antoine Griezmann both cost €120m each, so if Osimhen goes for that price he will join them as the joint fifth most expensive player in the world. In 2020, Osimhen was bought by Napoli from French side Lille for €50m, meaning that his value has more than doubled in three years.