The Portuguese superstar was keen on joining a club participating in the Champions League and seriously considered a return to Italy
Napoli were interested in allowing Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen to join Manchester United for the right price in the summer, it has emerged.
Italian transfer market expert Gianluca Di Marzio claims that Cristiano Ronaldo would have been involved in the audacious deal that would have taken the Super Eagles striker to England.
The Portuguese superstar was discontent with United’s non-qualification for the UEFA Champions League and wanted out of Old Trafford.
Ronaldo was linked to Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Marseille, Sporting Lisbon, and Napoli.
And while other clubs had different reasons for rejecting Ronaldo, Napoli were open to signing the 34-year-old striker.
But the Neapolitans were clear in their demands: €120 million transfer fee for Osimhen, a year-long loan deal for Ronaldo and United to bear all the burden of the Portuguese’s salary.
Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, believed he could make the deal happen, but United never made a move before the window slammed shut on September 1.
Giving the details of the negotiation, Di Marzio said (via Yahoo Sports): “With Napoli, Mendes and [Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis] have a very, very good relationship; they talk every day.
“There was a moment Mendes said to De Laurentiis: ‘I arrive with an offer of €100m for Victor Osimhen and if he goes to Manchester United I’ll give you Ronaldo on loan’.
“Napoli said ‘Okay, if Manchester United pay all the salary and offer €120m for Osimhen we can talk’. But this offer never arrived.”
Despite admitting to having a dream to play in the Premier League, Osimhen never hid his desire to stay at Napoli and play in the UEFA Champions League.
