Victor Osimhen once rejected the chance to sign for Manchester United because he didn’t want to compete with his fellow Nigerian striker, Odion Ighalo, out of deep respect.
According to The Mirror, this decision came in 2020, just before Osimhen made his high-profile move from Lille to Napoli. At the time, Osimhen was quickly gaining attention across Europe for his impressive goal-scoring form, and Manchester United were among the clubs keen to bring him to Old Trafford.
However, Osimhen chose to walk away from the opportunity. Manchester United already had Odion Ighalo leading their attack under then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Out of admiration and respect for Ighalo, Osimhen felt it wouldn’t be right to compete directly with his senior compatriot.
Ighalo, who initially made a strong start at Manchester United, eventually scored five goals in 23 appearances before moving on.
Speaking with Complete Sports, Victor Osimhen’s brother, Andrew Osimhen, revealed:
“It’s very true that Manchester United wanted Victor. But he told me he had too much respect for Odion Ighalo to compete for a place with his senior colleague.”
Victor Osimhen believed stepping into direct competition with Ighalo would have felt uncomfortable, so he opted to continue his journey elsewhere, eventually signing for Napoli.
Osimhen, now one of Europe’s most sought-after strikers, recently turned down a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia, choosing instead to stay and compete at the highest level in European football.
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has also spoken highly of Osimhen’s talent, saying:
“If I’m looking at the market now and I had to pick him or Viktor Gyokeres, I’d probably pick Osimhen because of that experience.”
Today, Victor Osimhen remains one of the most talked-about forwards in world football, with top clubs across Europe keeping a close eye on his next move.
This article was updated 2 months ago