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Rumour Mills: Rio Ferdinand tasks Manchester United to prioritise Osimhen over Gyokeres

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Rumour Mills: Rio Ferdinand tasks Manchester United to prioritise Osimhen over Gyokeres

By Wale Mustapha

Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has advised his former club to pursue Victor Osimhen over Victor Gyokeres in their search for a proven striker this summer.

The Red Devils are in urgent need of attacking reinforcements following a disappointing 2024/25 season, which saw them finish 15th in the Premier League and record the lowest goal tally in the club’s history.

United’s current attacking options, including Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee, failed to deliver consistently, prompting calls for the club to bring in a more experienced and clinical forward.

While both Osimhen and Gyokeres enjoyed stellar campaigns—Gyokeres netting 39 goals and 8 assists for Sporting Lisbon en route to winning the Portuguese league, and Osimhen bagging 37 goals and 7 assists in Galatasaray’s league and cup double—Ferdinand believes the Nigerian has the edge.

“I think Gyokeres, everyone’s talking about him. Again, I think if I’m looking at the market now and I had to pick him or Osimhen, I’d probably pick Osimhen because of that experience,” Ferdinand said in an interview with The Mirror.

Osimhen, known for his explosive pace, strength, and finishing ability, has long been linked with a move to the Premier League, and United may now be ready to reignite their interest.

Both players remain under contract with their current clubs, but with the summer transfer window open, speculation over their futures is set to intensify in the coming weeks.

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Samuel Ahmadu
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
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