Victor Osimhen could be lined up for a move to the Premier League after impressing this season for Napoli, with Newcastle keen to bolster their attack.
Newcastle have been linked with several strikers from across Europe, including Duvan Zapata from Atalanta and Reims forward Hugo Ekitike. However, Osimhen is the latest to be linked with a move to St. James’s Park.
Paolo Bargiggia (via Sport Witness) has claimed that a bid was on the table for Napoli’s Nigerian forward, but TalkSport reporter Alex Crook has told GiveMeSport that it would be summer business.
Crook said: “Osimhen, I think that’s summer interest.”
Osimhen only came to interest for Eddie Howe in the later stages of the window, so it may have been that there was not enough time to agree an appropriate deal.
TIF Thoughts on Osimhen potentially making a move to Newcastle…
It is no secret that the Magpies have lacked goals this campaign, with just five sides in the league netting less often than them.
In an attempt to fix this issue, boss Eddie Howe brought in Chris Wood to act as an immediate replacement for injured forward Callum Wilson.
However, it does appear that Howe attempted to sign another forward to strengthen depth in that area after it was revealed that Wilson may only feature in the later stages of the 2021/22 campaign due to a slow recovery.
Osimhen has scored 10 goals in 17 appearances this season for Napoli and has been heavily linked to a move away from Italy since his burst of impressive form last season.
The most interesting stat is probably that the Nigerian attacker gets fouled more than Allan Saint-Maximin on average, with 1.6 fouls per game compared to the Frenchman’s 1.5.
Osimhen is just 23 years old, so he could be a perfect signing for Howe as he looks to build for the future at Newcastle and bring in a high calibre of player that will be in the side for a lengthy period without having to be replaced.