In-form striker tipped for Manchester United move as the Red Devils look for an answer to scoring issue

Manchester United have bigger problems to solve than getting ahead of the game when it comes to identifying an upgrade on striker Benjamin Sesko.

Winning their next match will be high on the Man United agenda, certainly. Deciding whether their captain should be allowed to play will be top-of-mind. Praying that head coach Michael Carrick can justify the patience of the higher-ups will take up some time too.

Nevertheless, goals are goals and the Red Devils are scoring too few as well as conceding too many. One of Europe's most in-form frontmen has been tipped as an unlikely candidate to put that right.

Galatasaray's Nigerian international striker, Victor Osimhen, is on a goalscoring tear. The 27-year-old has scored nine goals in his last nine matches in all competitions for the Istanbul giants, including both in their derby win over Fenerbahce on Monday night.

He's scored eight league goals in fewer than 500 minutes. In Europe's top five leagues, only Barcelona's Raphinha is more prolific per 90 minutes in league football this season.

According to former Liverpool and Queens Park Rangers centre-forward Djibril Cisse, Man United should have Osimhen at the top of their transfer window shopping list.

"Victor Osimhen has the profile to play in England," the former French international told Mr Gamble. "I think Manchester United could suit him, and I believe there was already some interest at the start of the year or last year.

The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.

"He loves the Premier League. He’s unpredictable, he scores goals, he’s complete, he has the profile for English football, and I think that’s what United are missing right now."

Sesko might disagree. At 23 years old and with a considerable scoring record before his own move to Old Trafford, the Slovenian striker has struggled to stay injury-free and leave the desired impression.

'Profile' isn't really what's missing for Sesko and United's goals have been coming from Bryan Mbeumo, whose Premier League suitability is beyond doubt. Osimhen or any other striker following in the footsteps of Sesko, Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund would need genuine steel to rise above the circumstances.

Osimhen joined Galatasaray from Napoli last year after spending the 2024/25 season on loan at the Istanbul club. The masked man's relationship with Napoli deteriorated in the months after the club posted a video on TikTok that was interpreted as racially offensive.

There was significant interest in signing him from Napoli in the summer of 2024 but his options gradually fell away as teams turned their attentions elsewhere.

Galatasaray was seen as a premature sidestep out of the spotlight but Osimhen has thrived in Turkey's Super Lig, which he has won twice to add to his Serie A title in Naples.