Offers  €1M bonus payment to keep Nigerian forward happy in Naples for one more year

By Ed Emeanua

Napoli has perfected plans to use the offer of “heavier bonuses” to keep and make their Nigerian superstar, Victor Osimhen, happy at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium for an extra year, according to The Peoples Person.

This comes just as reports out of France say Osimhen is in heightened transfer talks with Paris Saint Germain (PSG), but the striker’s agent brands rumors as ‘fake news’ and is adamant it’s ‘too early to speak about transfers.’ The forward is Serie A’s current top scorer this season and has drawn the attention of some of the wealthiest clubs in Europe, including PSG, Manchester United, and Bayern Munich.

Mundo Deportivo asked the player’s agent if Osimhen was in advanced negotiations with PSG. The response was crystal clear: “It’s all fake news; it’s early to speak about transfers,” Roberto Calenda, agent of the Nigerian striker, told the publication.

The Nigerian forward and Harry Kane are two stars at the summit of Manchester United’s transfer ambition this summer. Osimhen has finished 26 goals in 32 games in all competitions this term, and his contract at the Stadio Maradona ends in June 2025. He has been linked with severe transfer speculation interest from several European clubs searching for a world-class striker.

Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport claims that while clubs in England and abroad gear up for a transfer war with one another for the services of Napoli’s prolific striker, Osimhen’s continuation in Italy with Gli Azzurri (The Blues) should not be reduced.

According to the Italian news outlet, Osimhen desires to remain in Naples. Should his decision depend on emotions and sentiment alone, the Nigeria international would continue at his present club for eternity. The striker is a symbolic star in Naples and has attained acclaim status last witnessed under Diego Maradona’s stay at the club.

The Gazzetta dello Sport stressed that the 24-year-old would talk with club bosses and the Napoli hierarchy at the season’s conclusion to discuss his plans and the probability of a move. Capturing the league title could be necessary for everyone in the discussion.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis intends to improve on the achievement of his team this campaign, and retaining the Nigerian would be very helpful in attaining this aim. Having the striker for one more year in Naples would be preferable for De Laurentiis instead of trading off the star.

Napoli administrators are eager to make Luciano Spalletti contented. Within a limited time, Spalletti has changed Napoli’s providence and crafted Osimhen into one of the world’s most efficient goalscorers. For Napolis to regain its pedigree of Europe’s elite again, Osimhen is an essential element.

The Gazzetta insisted that one way to retain the Nigeria international is to revise the player’s current salary agreement. Osimhen’s contract runs out in 2025. Considering the Serie A remuneration limit, the forward would be compensated through “heavier bonuses” for his employment. These commissions could climb to an extra million euros in compensation.

Napoli is in the knowledge of Osimhen’s aspiration to ply his trade in the Premier League, and there is an acknowledgment that he will one day jump to England’s top flight. However, now, Napoli will make a financial plan to keep the striker. Osimhen is open to the idea and knows that remaining with Napoli for an extra year would benefit all parties.

Needless to say that for United and manager Erik Ten Hag, this would be a significant transfer blow.

Sheikh Jassim picks between Neymar, Kane and Osimhen to be first signing

Lionel Messi

Manchester United could be set for a sensational start to the transfer window under their new owner, Jack McEachen reports for the Express Uk.

The likes of Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen headline a shortlist also involving the likes of Goncalo Ramos and Randal Kolo Muani of Benfica and Eintracht Frankfurt respectively, but Ten Hag may be surprised when he discovers Jassim’s idea for the club’s first statement signing under his ownership.

The Sun have claimed that Jassim has identified Neymar as his ideal first transfer, as he is planning a sensational offer if he is successful in taking over from the Glazer family ahead of Friday’s deadline.

Neymar could be plying his trade at Manchester United next season. (Image: Getty)

Neymar is considered to be one of the most talented players in the game and it would certainly represent ambition if Jassim were to bring the Brazilian to Old Trafford. He has been out of action for Paris Saint-Germain since picking up an ankle ligament injury last month which required surgery but is expected to be fit for next season.

PSG’s attacking trident of Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe has not worked out as planned as the trio have failed to secure the Champions League – while the Argentine is expected to leave Paris on a free transfer at the end of the season and Neymar could follow him out of the door.

Harry Kane has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United. (Image: Getty)

Neymar would not fit the conventional striker that Ten Hag appears to be eyeing with previous links to the likes of Kane and Osimhen, potentially putting him at odds with Jassim over their first potential signing – though there is a chance that Neymar could be signed in addition to a traditional number nine.

While Ten Hag reportedly made a triple transfer request ahead of the window, as The Independent have claimed that the Dutchman is hoping for a new striker, centre-back and goalkeeper to go into next season with ambitions of challenging for the Premier League title.

Whether Neymar is seen as that striker by Ten Hag and Jassim remains to be seen, but the potential Qatari-backed bid clearly have big plans to make a splash at United if they are successful with their offer.

Premier League Saturday Bash: Iwobi, Aribo, Onuachu going, going…

Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Club and country may not smile as Taiwo Awoniyi and Emmanuel Dennis failed to revamp their relegation fate with Premier League side Nottingham Forest remaining in the dreaded drop zone of the table as the English Premier League (EPL) relegation dog-fight nears its end.

The Tricky Trees almost gave some boost to their relegation fight by scoring first at the tail end of the first half against highflying Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. But things fell apart for them as Brentford fought back to take a deserved 2-1 victory over Forest.

Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi, Awoniyi and Emmanuel Dennis of Nottingham Forest, Southampton’s Paul Onuachu and Joe Aribo, remain neck-deep in the nail-biting tug-of-war to escape relegation at the end of the season.

Iwobi continued to go down gradually with hapless Everton falling 1-4 to another home defeat to a highly rejuvenated Newcastle United side at the Goodison Park.

Thursday’s defeat by Newcastle pushed the Toffees further down the relegation zone of the Premier League table to 19th position in the twenty-team log, in which the last placed three teams must go down to the Championship next season. Everton currently has 28 points from 33 games and are 3 points shy from the safe zone of the table, with 4 matches to go.

Also on Thursday, Onuachu and Aribo did not fare better having slumped to another defeat at home this time to fellow relegation threatened Bournemouth team at St Mary’s Stadium. Southampton presently occupies the last placement in the 20 team league table of the EPL with 24 points out of a total of 33 games.

Salary decision speaks volumes as impressive details emerge

Benni McCarthy has been a masterstroke by Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag. (Image: Getty)

According to the Mail, Benni McCarthy didn’t even ask about his salary in M16 before accepting the job offer, Alex Turk reports for Express UK.

The South African’s salary decision when joining Manchester United’s coaching staff adds to the impressive nature of his impact. McCarthy has proven to be a revelation at Manchester United this season after Erik ten Hag added him to his coaching staff in the summer. And impressive details have emerged about the South African’s arrival and how he has adhered himself to the dressing room.

After McCarthy’s appointment last July, Ten Hag explained the club’s need for ‘balance’ by recruiting an offensive coach.

He said: “In our coaching staff, we had a lot of defenders and midfield players. I wanted to find a good balance.

“He is offensive-minded as he is a former striker, and that is also a really specific task in the team. I never played there, so I’m lucky to have someone on my staff who did.

“Football is about scoring. You have a goalkeeping specialist, but you also have offensive specialists, and, in particular, we have a specific scoring coach.”

The 45-year-old, who rejected the chance to manage the South African national team last year, took some training sessions with United’s Under 23s during his trial at Carrington.

Ten Hag and his coaches observed his work before offering him a full-time position during the summer’s pre-season tour.

The Dutchman had previously looked at Robin van Persie, but the Old Trafford great opted to stay at Feyenoord.

That led to McCarthy’s agent setting up a meeting with Ten Hag and football director John Murtough, during which he explained that McCarthy was familiar with his philosophy from his days at Ajax.

McCarthy also boasts Premier League experience and a good track record of improving players during his coaching career so far.

The report claims he speaks English, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese, which has helped him become a popular figure in the United dressing room.

McCarthy is understood to be keen on a return to management down the line after his successful spells at Cape Town City and AmaZulu.

But he is currently happy with his role under Ten Hag and has heavily contributed to Marcus Rashford’s emergence as Europe’s most prolific forward since the World Cup.

It wouldn’t be an understatement to suggest he was one of the Dutch boss’ most effective signings of his first transfer window at United.