“Anything can happen” – Arsenal and Manchester United-linked forward distances himself from committing future to current club

Napoli star Victor Osimhen is reportedly refusing to commit his future to the Serie A side, with Manchester United and Arsenal waiting in the wings.

Osimhen, 23, has been in remarkable goalscoring form for Napoli since joining from Lille in 2020 for £67.5 million.

The Nigerian striker has scored 28 goals from 62 appearances for the Naples side. He continues to be linked with a departure, with top European heavyweights keeping tabs on him. Two of those teams are Premier League side Manchester United and Arsenal, with both clubs in stark need of attacking reinforcements.

Osimhen is currently on international duty with Nigeria where he scored four goals in the Super Eagles' 10-0 demolition of Sao Tome and Principe on Monday, June 13. He was asked about speculation over his future and didn't play down the possibility of leaving Napoli. He said: (via Football Italia):

“I know there are rumours about Spain and England, but it’s not the right moment to talk about it because I am with the national team."

Osimhen continued,

“I don’t know what the future has in store for me, I know that anything can happen. Now, I want to go on holiday now and recharge and then we’ll think about the rest.”

Il Mattino (via Metro) reports that Arsenal have had a £51 million bid for the Nigerian striker rejected.

Meanwhile, Area Napoli (via Express) reported that United were considering offering Napoli a swap deal for the 23-year-old in May.

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Why Manchester United and Arsenal are targeting Napoli striker Victor Osimhen

The Nigerian is highly coveted

Both United and the Gunners experienced disappointing ends to the season, with the duo missing out on a top-four finish.

Arsenal had been in pole position to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 2016 with three games remaining. However, they faltered, handing fourth-place to north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

A lack of goalscoring options has been a problem for the Gunners throughout the season, with Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah not contributing on a consistent basis. The duo managed just nine Premier League goals between them.

Meanwhile, Manchester United had a season to forget and although their problems mostly lie in defense, the burden of scoring goals was solely on Cristiano Ronaldo's shoulders.

The legendary forward impressed, managing 18 goals in 30 league appearances. However, he cannot be expected to continue being Manchester United's savior for upcoming seasons.