United’s tough decision over £100m Kane or Osimhen bid
Spurs and Napoli strikers both involve hard talks Ten Hag must consider if he wants experience or youth
Erik ten Hag is facing a £100million striker dilemma at Manchester United this summer as he weighs up whether to move for Tottenham’s Harry Kane or Napoli’s rising star, Victor Osimhen.
Signing a top striker is United’s priority and Ten Hag must decide whether to go for a Premier League proven shorter-term fix in Kane – and with it a virtual guarantee of goals – or take a calculated gamble on Osimhen developing into a world-beater for years to come.
Old Trafford sources have indicated that Osimhen better fits Ten Hag’s profile of wanting a more mobile striker who offers pace, strength and pressing, as well as goals. Ten Hag has watched extensive footage of Osimhen since last summer, and while there are elements of the striker’s game the Dutchman is unsure about and he has had injury problems, his improvement has continued to gather pace this season.
Osimhen has been central to Napoli’s pursuit of a first Serie A title for 33 years, and scored twice in their 3-0 win over Spezia on Saturday, which took his tally to 16 in 17 league matches as they moved 13 points clear at the top.
Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis is a notoriously tough negotiator, though, and with Paris St-germain and Chelsea also showing interest in Osimhen, the price for the Nigeria striker is likely to exceed £100million, given the Italian club paid Lille a projected €80million for him three years ago. Neither deal would be straightforward, however. Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chairman, will demand £100million from any English club for Kane should he fail to persuade the England captain – due to enter the final 12 months of his contract this summer – to sign a new deal. If forced to offload Kane, his strong preference would be to sell him overseas.
Kane became Tottenham’s alltime top scorer on Sunday when his goal in the 1-0 win over Manchester City made it 267 for the club and meant he surpassed Jimmy Greaves’s 53-year-old record. Spurs are still hoping to convince Kane to sign a new contract but their hopes may hinge on the club winning a trophy this term and qualifying for the Champions League. Bayern Munich – who are still looking for a replacement for Robert Lewandowski – have been linked with Kane, and Levy may also hope other foreign suitors come to the table if the player makes it clear that he wants to leave. Kane is desperate to win trophies
first and foremost but having become Tottenham’s record scorer, he also has his sights set on eclipsing Alan Shearer’s record of 260 Premier League goals. He is currently on 200.
Ten Hag recognises Kane offers a unique skill set, creates as well as scores as a hybrid No9 and No10, knows the Premier League inside out, is a strong character accustomed to dealing with pressure and has never been dependent on pace.
United are also aware of the impact Kane has had on Son Heungmin’s game – and vice-versa – at Spurs and believe he could be a potent foil for Marcus Rashford, his
England team-mate who is in the form of his life at Old Trafford.
Sources have likened the situation to the choice Sir Alex Ferguson faced as United manager in 2012 when he opted to sign Robin van Persie from Arsenal.
Van Persie was 29, the same age as Kane now, while Ferguson was also keen on Lewandowski. The Poland international was starting to make his name at Borussia Dortmund and was 24 – the same age as Osimhen.
Van Persie scored 26 goals en route to helping United to the title in his first season but Ferguson retired at the end of that campaign
and the Dutchman’s next two years were less productive as the team faltered.
Lewandowski, meanwhile, went on to become one of Europe’s best centre-forwards with Bayern Munich and is still scoring frequently at 34 for Barcelona.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s acrimonious exit in November left United in the market for a leading striker, with Ten Hag unable to rely on the perennially injured Anthony Martial – who will be missing again for tonight’s Premier League game at home to Leeds – and loan signing Wout Weghorst only a cheap stop-gap measure.