"Pretty clear..." - Man Utd could make move for "phenomenal" £85m player

Manchester United have been handed a blow in their pursuit of transfer target Victor Osimhen from Napoli according to a report.

The Napoli striker has been linked to United and branded the "Ronaldo replacement" according to one journalist.

A fresh report earlier this week has since suggested that the move would not be possible during the January transfer window but could occur during the summer.

Cristiano Ronaldo and United agreed to part ways at the start of this week, leaving Erik ten Hag with even fewer attacking options.

What has been said about Osimhen?

“He [Osimhen] was definitely on their shortlist again going into the summer but Napoli made it pretty clear straight away that they weren’t interested in selling him," Italian football expert Carlo Garganese told GiveMeSport.

“They lost a lot of players this summer Napoli, massive renewal, it’s gone incredibly well for them. And he was one that they wanted to be part of the next project.

“So, January absolutely not, no chance, zero chance, but next summer, I wouldn’t rule it out.

“I wouldn’t rule it out because Aurelio De Laurentiis has shown that he is the absolute master.

“Napoli’s president is the absolute master at selling one of his big stars for huge, huge money and then somehow finding replacements that are not even that well known and they go on to develop into the big stars themselves.”