Napoli Star Rejected Red Devils in 2020 to Avoid Competing with Idol Ighalo – Could a Move Now Be Back On?
Before Victor Osimhen became Napoli’s record-breaking striker, he made a surprising career decision—one driven not by money or ambition, but by deep respect for a fellow Nigerian. Back in 2020, as Europe’s elite circled the then-Lille sensation, Manchester United emerged as serious contenders. But Osimhen turned them down, unwilling to compete with his idol, Odion Ighalo.
“It is very true that Manchester United wanted Victor,” his brother Andrew revealed to Complete Sports. “But he told me he had too much respect for Ighalo to fight for the same position. My brother holds him in high esteem—he just couldn’t see himself battling his senior colleague.”
At the time, Ighalo was United’s stopgap signing, a veteran whose early promise faded quickly. Yet to Osimhen, he remained a legend—the top scorer at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and a trailblazer for Nigerian footballers abroad. That reverence led the younger striker to Italy instead, where he later fired Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years.
Now, the script may be flipping. Despite his heroics, Osimhen finds himself unwanted under Antonio Conte, with Romelu Lukaku favored as Napoli’s main man. A loan spell at Galatasaray last season proved he still has sharp instincts, but his future likely lies elsewhere—and Old Trafford could re-enter the picture.
After rejecting a lucrative Saudi offer this summer, Osimhen’s preference for top-tier European football is clear. And with United legend Rio Ferdinand publicly backing a move (“I’d pick Osimhen for his experience”), the stage might finally be set for a transfer that once seemed unthinkable—this time, with no mentors left to step aside.
Similar Posts:
- Manchester United Remain Hopeful of Landing Victor Osimhen in Ambitious Transfer Bid
- Osimhen’s Agent Rules Out Move to Saudi Arabia, Stresses Unfinished Business in Europe
- Transfer Rumours: Heung-min Son’s Transfer Could Pave Way for Osimhen’s Move to Manchester United
- PSG Makes Massive Bid for Napoli Stars Kvaratskhelia and Osimhen
- Revealed! Napoli Rejected Massive €210m Transfer Bid for Victor Osimhen, Italian Media Reports
