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News
- 18 minutes ago
The real reason Victor Osimhen didn't join Man Utd revealed by former coach
Cameron Smith
- 27 Feb 2026 10:35 CST
- 3 min read
News
Manchester United decided against signing Victor Osimhen last summer due to the Africa Cup of Nations, according to the club’s former first-team coach Benni McCarthy.
The ex-Blackburn Rovers striker spent time at Old Trafford as part of Erik ten Hag’s backroom staff and he has revealed the AFCON schedule is a key reason why Osimhen failed to complete his proposed move to Man Utd in 2025.
Current ETV
Victor Osimhen
F (C)
Victor Osimhen
F (C)
Galatasaray
ETV Range
€69.2M - €84.6M
The Nigeria international was heavily linked with a move to the Premier League last year, amid interest from Chelsea and Man Utd, but he eventually completed a permanent move to Galatasaray in July following a successful loan spell at the club.
Reports indicated that Osimhen’s wage demands were a key reason why Chelsea and Man Utd opted against finalising a deal, although McCarthy believes that AFCON was the biggest issue behind a potential move to the latter.
Man Utd lost summer signing Bryan Mbeumo and fellow star attacker Amad Diallo due to their participation at the tournament and they ultimately decided against purchasing Osimhen as a result, according to McCarthy.
Instead, the Red Devils finalised a deal for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko and he has scored eight goals in 24 games since his arrival at Old Trafford.
The real reason Man Utd didn’t sign Victor Osimhen
“If you spend £100m on a player, you don’t want to lose him for AFCON,” McCarthy told BBC News Africa.
“I think he would have been very successful there. But it [AFCON] was a big stumbling block. Losing him for so many important matches, the team suffers not having the main striker there.
“So the decision was made. Literally [a] big part was because of the AFCON, and Victor Osimhen’s name got scratched off – not a player of interest because of that.”
Despite the failed transfer, McCarthy still believes that Osimhen would’ve been a successful signing for Man Utd.
STATS
Victor Osimhen
F (C)
Galatasaray
Victor Osimhen
F (C)
Galatasaray
“He scores goals, he works exceptionally hard, and he’s a player [who is] immune to the noise,” McCarthy added.
“Playing for Man Utd won’t have a lot of effect on him because of what the boy has gone through in his life. Where he comes from, he’s seen way worse than this.
“Him not scoring for five games in a row won’t affect him. He’ll just keep going on because he knows what struggle is about.”
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