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By Martin Graham | 19th Apr 2023
Manchester United target Victor Osimhen has crashed out of the UEFA Champions League with Napoli despite scoring a late goal.
Osimhen was missed in the first leg of the tie as AC Milan secured a 1 – 0 win over Napoli at the San Siro. The Nigeria international was recovering from injury and only returned to action at the weekend.
He put in a great shift in his cameo, giving the fans hope for a turnaround when AC Milan visited the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Tuesday. It was not to be, however, as Osimhen was well managed by the resolute defence of the Rossoneri.
Osimhen would put the ball in the back of the net but his handball in the build up would see the goal rightly ruled out. He would then score a 93rd minute equaliser after his strike partner Kvicha Kvaratskhelia failed to equalise earlier when gifted a spotkick.
Olivier Giroud’s 43rd minute strike would prove to be the winner over two legs as Milan progress to the semis of the Champions League for the first time since 2006/07 when they went all the way to win the title.
Osimhen’s goal in the game, which was his fifth goal of the campaign and his 26th goal in all competitions for Napoli this season, was further confirmation of his ability which has caught the eye of Manchester United and other European sides.
It has been suggested that Osimhen would have played better if he was fully fit because that game was the first full match he played after returning at the weekend from two weeks out nursing an adductor injury.
The former LOSC Lille striker had mentioned that his dream is to play in the Premier League and United, in dire need of a striker, are reportedly positioning themselves to be the pathway to his dream.
Another United target, Portuguese winger Rafael Leão, had a better performance across both legs of the tie. He assisted both of Milan’s goals in the first and second legs, while also winning a penalty which could have seen the aggregate scoreline increase.
Osimhen, however, is the priority signing for the Red Devils, who are in dire need of a striker next season. They will face competition from Chelsea who were reported last week to have initiated contact with the Nigeria international through Didier Drogba.
Osimhen is a big fan of the Ivory Coast international and this could count against United, who have reportedly made him one of their top two priorities in the summer. Harry Kane is one, but the Tottenham Hotspur striker is also on the radar of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid who are both in desperate need of a striker.
Martin Graham is an MFF sports writer
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