Former Manchester United legend, Rio Ferdinand has warned the club that a move for Victor Osimhen could carry a risk.
Osimhen and Tottenham’s Hary Kane are among the big-name strikers being linked with an Old Trafford switch, having both scored more than 20 goals respectively this season.
“A number nine is the obvious area that Man Utd need to sort out, we need to get a number in the building,’ Ferdinand said on his Five YouTube channel.
‘There are two names that keep coming up – Osimhen from Napoli and Harry Kane. Ultimately, it is down to Kane and (Tottenham chairman) Daniel Levy.
“If they both say ‘yes, we want to make it happen’, I think Man Utd get it done. The numbers can’t be ridiculous, Levy’s got to be realistic. They’ve got blood, sweat, tears, records, goals, the lot out of Harry Kane.
“Let the guy do what he needs to do now, man. Let him go on and try to compete for Champions Leagues, for championships, for cup competitions.”
“If he came to Man Utd, he might not even be competing for a title. It might take another year or two,” Ferdinand continued. “But they’re closer than where Spurs are, that’s the point.”
“Osimhen is a different kettle of fish,” the pundit said. “He’s 24, he’s scored goals in France and now in Italy. Won the league (in Italy) and knows how to win leagues.
“He’s been a No.9 at a dominant team in the football league. Is that transferable to the Premier League? No one knows that. That’s the chance United would have to take on him.
“That’s the only risk I see. He doesn’t know the league – that’s it. Ability wise and profile, goalscoring, he ticks every box, but there is an unknown factor in does he know how to play in the Premier League? Can he adapt to the Premier League?
“But I wouldn’t see that as a big risk. I’d take either of those two and I’d be happy but the one thing with Kane, he guarantees you 20 or 25 goals a season.
There’s no doubt in your mind he gets that when he comes to Man Utd.”