However, together with Atalanta as a whole, Lookman’s form has dropped off in 2025 and he has not managed a single assist this year, although he has still added eight goals.
Sports
Osimhen to rake in N136bn from Man United
Osimhen to rake in N136bn from Man United
Super Eagles’ ace striker, Victor Osimhen, will reportedly earn at least a staggering One Hundred Thirty-Six Billion , Two Hundred Thirty-Three Million and Six Hundred Sixty-Four Thousand Naira if he eventually switched to Manchester United in the summer, even as Al Wehdah striker Odion Ighalo has urged his former national teammate to explore a life-time opportunity to play in the English Premier League.
In the meantime, several Turkish outlets have claimed that Manchester United are close to finalising a deal for Osimhen, who remains a Galatasaray player until the end of the season.
The on-loan frontman has faced a hugely uncertain future over the last year due to how his fiery Napoli exit panned out; after clashing heads with Antonio Conte, he was stripped of his number and removed from the side’s Serie A squad list before the season began, leaving him little to no time to agree a deal with a suitor before the transfer deadline.
When a move to Al Ahli collapsed in the final stages, Osimhen signed for Galatasaray with no buy option included in the terms. As such, he now has only two months remaining in Turkey before he’ll have to return to Napoli and hold some pretty crucial talks over his next steps.
Osimhen has long been linked with an Old Trafford switch over the years, primarily because he poses as a direct solution to their flagrant goal-scoring woes.
The Nigerian international boasts a stunning 143 career goals in 257 appearances, including 29 goals – and a further six assists – in only 34 appearances this term.
Turkish journalist Aygun Ozipek claimed the 26-year-old has agreed a five-year deal with the Red Devils for a fee of £51 million, with the player said to have negotiated a salary worth £12.8m (about N27,246,732,800) per year.
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Meanwhile, Ighalo has counselled Osimhen to consider a move to the Premier League this summer and feels what it looks like to play in the most exciting league in the world.
Speaking on a podcast hosted by former national beach soccer team’s star, Abu Azeez, Ighalo shared his thoughts on the ongoing transfer brouhaha surrounding Osimhen.
“My advice would be for him to try the Premier League, but ultimately, he knows what’s best for himself,” Ighalo disclosed .”People can say all they want, but only the player knows what’s truly in his heart and mind.
“Whatever decision he makes, he has my full support—101%,” he added.
In a related development, Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has admitted that it is “impossible” to win games with misfiring forwards following his side’s 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.
Rasmus Hojlund once again failed to find the back of the net, meaning he now only has one goal in his last 28 appearances for the Red Devils, and the Denmark international continues to be linked with a summer exit amid his woes in front of goal.
Yet Amorim was eager to avoid responding to transfer rumours despite the fact that Osimhen, Liam Delap and Hugo Ekitike have all been tipped to join Man Utd during the 2025 summer window.
“We will address that in the end,” Amorim admitted to reporters when asked about his side’s pursuit of a new centre forward.
“Of course we have a plan and we talk about that every day but the season is not over so let’s focus on that.
“It’s a team thing. Of course we have an idea of what this team needs but also the guys we play with, we play at least three guys in front to score goals and we have midfielders… all the team needs to score more goals and you have opportunities with the midfielders and the striker.
“We need to improve as a team because if you don’t score goals in this league it’s impossible to win games.”
Osimhen to rake in N136bn from Man United
Sports
Osimhen’s ‘relatives’ in Edo accuse him of abandoning his hometown
Osimhen’s ‘relatives’ in Edo accuse him of abandoning his hometown
Two elderly men who claim to be relatives of Victor Osimhen have expressed disappointment over what they describe as the Super Eagles striker’s “neglect” of his ancestral home in Edo.
The men spoke in a now-trending video filmed by a blogger who claimed to have visited the footballer’s hometown in Okhuesan, Esan, in Edo state.
The aged men, identified as Omuyiwa John and Monday Egbe, claimed that the striker has not returned to his roots or offered support to the people he grew up with.
John said they grew up with Osimhen’s father in the same village and attended primary school together.
They alleged that they even helped raise funds for the burial of Victor’s mother, who was from Obiaruku in Delta state.
John expressed shock that despite their contributions to his family, the African Footballer of the Year has not “acknowledged or visited the community”.
“The father is of the same grandfather as me. We are surprised how the boy said he does not know Okhuesan again. Because the father grew up here. All of us grew together here. We attended the same primary school here. The father’s name is Patrick Osimhen,” he said.
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“The father married from the Delta side in Obiaroko.
“Even when Victor Osimhen’s mother died, she was out in a mortuary at Obiaroko. They said that until we come and do everything in marriage, they would bury her because she has given birth to many children for us.
“The father came from Lagos to come and meet us because he has no money, and his wife’s family is making demands. We sold everything and contributed money to take to Obiaroko to bury Victor Osimhen’s mother.”
John added that the community celebrated Osimhen’s rise to fame but was saddened by his apparent detachment from his roots.
“There was nothing we did not do for Victor or his father. When we later heard that the boy is now a footballer, we were happy. The whole community is happy for him,” he said
“He has never stepped foot in the village here. Even when the father died, he was buried in Lagos. We sent messages through our people in Lagos to bring the deceased back home, but the children refused.”
As of now, Osimhen has not publicly responded to the allegations.
Osimhen’s ‘relatives’ in Edo accuse him of abandoning his hometown
Sports
Taiwo Awoniyi out of induced coma, begins recovery
Taiwo Awoniyi out of induced coma, begins recovery
Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi is out of an induced coma and recovering steadily following emergency surgery on an abdominal injury sustained in a frightening collision with the goalpost during Sunday’s clash against Leicester City.
The Nigerian forward underwent a procedure on Monday night, with doctors placing him in a medically induced coma to limit movement and regulate his heart rate. While the injury was not considered life-threatening, the precautionary measure was taken to aid his recovery.
According to Mail Online, the second stage of the procedure was completed on Wednesday, and Awoniyi is now awake and recuperating in hospital, surrounded by family.
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In the aftermath, Nottingham Forest issued a strongly worded statement defending club owner Evangelos Marinakis, who stormed onto the pitch after the match.
The club clarified that the severity of Awoniyi’s injury prompted his reaction and dismissed reports claiming he confronted manager Nuno Espírito Santo as “fake news.”
Taiwo Awoniyi out of induced coma, begins recovery
Sports
Liverpool eye Ademola Lookman in stunning swap deal
Liverpool eye Ademola Lookman in stunning swap deal
Liverpool are reportedly considering a sensational swap deal that would see Nigeria International Ademola Lookman and his Italian counterpart Federico Chiesa change clubs.
Italian media outlet, Quotidiano Sportivo, claimed that Chiesa is likely to leave Liverpool and return to Serie A after a miserable first season at Anfield. Despite picking up a Premier League winners’ medial, Chiesa barely featured at all – making just five league appearances totalling 41 minutes, all of them from the substitutes bench.
Incidentally, Liverpool are among the clubs who are big fans of Atalanta’s star Lookman, and the report further claimed that the Reds could consider a swap deal that sees the Nigerian move to Anfield in exchange for cash plus Chiesa.
The African Footballer of the Year is expected to leave Atalanta at the end of the season if the Italian club receives a suitable offer believed to be around €60 million.
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Lookman has been heavily linked with virtually every top team in Europe over the past months.
A return to the Premier League is believed to be the likeliest destination for the 27-year-old, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool and Newcastle all interested. Barcelona and PSG are also big fans.
Earlier this year, Lookman was crowned African Footballer of the Year and finished 14th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or race after a stunning 2024.
He scored a legendary hat trick for Atalanta in the 3-0 Europa League final victory over Bayer Leverkusen last May. He hit 27 goal contributions for the season before taking that brilliant form into the 2024/2025 season.
In the first half of the season he was arguably the best player in Serie A, as Atalanta looked a good bet for the Scudetto.
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