Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has claimed that Victor Osimhen is still waiting for the Red Devils to make their move before the September 1 deadline. According to Saha, the Nigeria international is holding out for a United approach within the next 48 hours, given his well-known affection for the club.
Financial hurdles and Galatasaray wages
Osimhen, 27, has been linked with a move to United for several years, but that opportunity now appears to have passed. Galatasaray are paying him substantial wages, which stretch further due to Turkey's top tax rate of just 40 per cent, with half of that absorbed by Super Lig clubs, effectively reducing it to 20 per cent, compared to 45 per cent in the United Kingdom. Any potential deal would require an equally substantial fee for the Turkish champions to even contemplate selling, making it not particularly financially feasible for United to make a move.
Saha's vision for Osimhen and Sesko
Saha told MrGamble via Metro that Osimhen remains hopeful of a United move before the end of the window. He said: "All United have to do is make the connection, but that's why it hasn't happened yet.
"Osimhen is still waiting. United missed out on signing Harry Kane, and that was one of their biggest mistakes in the transfer market. But they can correct that mistake by signing Osimhen.
"I think Osimhen is a better fit for United now than Kane because of Benjamin Sesko. Osimhen can teach Sesko about movement and being a striker, but they could also play together and combine better than Kane and Sesko could."
Saha added: "I know for a fact that Victor Osimhen is a Manchester United fan. He loves Man United. I have seen it in his eyes: the impact the club has on him, and he sees the impact he could have on this team."
Evra's backing and Osimhen's form
Saha is not the only former United player to have voiced support for signing Osimhen this month. Patrice Evra told GOAL in association with Stake that they need "a striker, someone who scores a goal, I think that's what I'm looking at." He added: "That's why for me, Osimhen is the best, he's a perfect example."
Osimhen has netted five goals and laid on a further three across the opening three Super Lig fixtures of this campaign, giving him a direct hand in all but two of their nine league goals. He is already a third of the way to matching his tally of 15 from last season's Super Lig and just three short of his domestic assists tally. In the Champions League, he netted seven goals and contributed a further assist across ten outings, mirroring his loan spell form where he found the net 37 times in 41 appearances across all competitions.
