Man Utd 'reach agreement' for world-class player who Rio Ferdinand begged the club to sign

Manchester United have fallen a long way short of their standards in the Premier League this season and improvement in 2025-26 is a must.

Man Utd sit in 14th in the table with five matches remaining and could finish as low as 17th.

Success in the Europa League might take the edge off United's domestic failings but would do nothing to hide the obvious fact that there's an enormous amount of work to do to put the Red Devils back where they expect to be.

Head coach Ruben Amorim and Erik ten Hag before him have been unable to make anything of 2024-25 in the Premier League and a lack of firepower has been one of the more tangible shortcomings.

United are aiming high when it comes to acquiring a new striker in the summer transfer window.

According to reporting in Turkey and by Tuttosport in Italy, United's simmering interest in Napoli attacker Victor Osimhen, currently on loan at Galatasaray, is very real and making progress.

"TuttoSport today state that Manchester United now have an ‘agreement in principle’ with Osimhen’s entourage over the striker’s salary, amidst keen interest from Juventus and their sporting director Cristiano Guintoli," relays Sport Witness.

The Nigerian international has been one of the hottest attacking properties in football for some time and has scored 21 times in 25 Super Lig appearances this season, firing the Istanbul giants to a probable title.

With another 65 goals to his name in Serie A, admiring glances from Juventus and Man Utd were inevitable.

If talks are indeed moving along as reported, the next challenge for the Red Devils is to offload the players to unlock Osimhen's punchy €75m release clause and make room for him in the squad.

Victor Osimhen (Image: Getty)

If they can do that, United legend Rio Ferdinand will be thrilled.

Earlier this month, Ferdinand made the case for the Nigerian on Rio Presents.

"We need Osimhen," he boomed, pointing ominously through the screens of his followers.

"We need experience. We need someone who can score. We need someone who can come and show these young strikers at Man Utd how to do it."

In reality, those young strikers – notably Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee – might have to be sold to allow Osimhen's acquisition.

Ferdinand isn't deterred.

"If I'm Man Utd, I'm making it happen," he continued.