Victor Osimhen: Evra explains why United must sign Galatasaray striker | OneFootball

Patrice Evra has urged Manchester United to launch a bombshell raid to sign Victor Osimhen this summer.

A Lack of Goals Up Top

The ex-defender, who won 14 trophies across eight years at Old Trafford, believes the club should implement the tactic that brought Sir Alex Ferguson unparalleled success: a potent forward line.

At present, the Red Devils have just two senior strikers – Benjamin Sesko and Joshua Zirkzee. Signed from RB Leipzig last summer for £74 million, Sesko has enjoyed a promising debut season in English football, finishing as the team’s joint top scorer with Bryan Mbeumo on 11 goals.

However, Zirkzee – signed from Bologna for £36.5 million in 2024 – is yet to show anything close to this level since arriving from Italy. Nine goals and four assists across 75 appearances in a red shirt tell their own story of a flop in the box.

A return to Serie A is on the cards this summer, despite the 24-year-old Dutchman wanting to stay in M16, with AS Roma considered frontrunners. United are expected to sign a more experienced No. 9 in his place to ease the burden on Sesko.

But if the choice were left up to Evra, this No. 9 would be Osimhen, the 27-year-old frontman currently tearing it up in Türkiye for Galatasaray.

Osimhen is The One

When asked by GOAL (as relayed by Football365) which signing the former United captain would add to Michael Carrick’s squad this summer, he was emphatic.

“Victor Osimhen. I have all due respect for Galatasaray, the love he gets there and what the player is like. Manchester United need a proper striker, and I have so much respect for the strikers at Man United. But, back in the day, we had four amazing strikers, and if you want to play every competition, you need more strikers.”

The 2008 Champions League winner acknowledges other positions are in need of reinforcements: “Of course, you need some defenders, like an extra left back, because you could have an injury and a right-back. Of course, Casemiro is leaving, so you need to replace those players.”

But if only one player could arrive, Evra would pick the Nigeria international, who has long been linked with a move to M16, because “I know this guy can make a difference.” Interestingly, it is a view mirrored by his former teammate, Louis Saha, who believes Osimhen would be a “transformational signing” for the Red Devils.

““I really like Victor Osimhen. He’s definitely got the character, he’s got the quality. He’s also got good European pedigree: he was a success in France, he was a champion in Italy with Napoli and he’s gone to Turkey with Galatasaray and been brilliant, a move that he probably didn’t want, let’s be honest.

“He’s scored goals at every level. He’s got Champions League experience, and furthermore, he’s got the type of personality and charisma that this United squad could really benefit from.

“I think he would be a transformational signing for Manchester United,” the former striker, who knows a thing or two about scoring goals at the Theatre of Dreams, concludes.

Final Thoughts

With 59 goals and 16 assists in 74 appearances since signing for Galatasaray, who were confirmed as Super Lig champions for the fourth successive year a few weeks ago, Osimhen’s record in front of goal is unquestioned.

Whether United would have the funds, both in terms of transfer fee and wage proposal, to lure the 6’1″ machine to Manchester is far less certain, however, even if two former Red Devils are desperate for INEOS to make it happen.

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