How Victor Osimhen would fare at Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal or Newcastle United - according to Football Manager

Victor Osimhen has forced his way into the conversation on the hottest properties in European football after his stunning form for Napoli took his side to within touching distance of a first Serie A title since the days of Diego Maradona.

The Nigerian international has plundered his way to 21 goals in just 25 league appearances and has five goals in six Champions League games to help Napoli reach the quarter-final of the competition before they suffered a 2-1 aggregate defeat against AC Milan.

Although reportedly happy with life in Naples, Osimhen has been heavily linked with a big money move to the Premier League so we have fired up Football Manager 2023 to assess he would fare if he joined one of four different clubs in England this summer.

Manchester United

Despite spending the majority of the current season in desperate need of a lead frontman, the addition of Osimhen failed to inspire the Red Devils to a Champions League place as they fell 18 points shy of the top four, ending the campaign in sixth place.

Osimhen’s return of 24 goals and two assists in 48 appearances in all competitions is a decent return for his first year in the Premier League - and he has ended the season with a winners medal to his name. Thoughts of a Carabao Cup run were ended by a shock 2-1 home defeat against Nottingham Forest in a third round tie and interest in the Europa League ended with a 3-0 aggregate defeat against AC Milan in the round of 16.

It was the FA Cup where Osimhen experienced success as Erik ten Hag’s side saw off Liverpool, Manchester City, Leicester City, Fulham and Newcastle to set up a Wembley date with Chelsea. Osimhen did not score in the final but he provided an assist for one of Jaden Sancho’s two goal as his side claimed a 2-0 win over the Blues.

Chelsea

A new manager and a new striker were in place by the time the season got underway at Stamford Bridge. With former Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino in the dugout and £130m frontman Osimhen leading the line, it seemed likely the Blues would bid for success on all fronts.

However, Osimhen was surprisingly rotated with Joao Felix and made 23 starts out of a possible 41 games, scoring 15 goals and provided no assists in the process. Silverware remained out of reach after the Blues suffered an abysmal 3-2 home defeat against Blackpool in the Carabao Cup third round and a 1-0 defeat at Manchester Unite din the FA Cup third round.

Arsenal

Adding Osimhen into an attacking lineup containing Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus seemed likely to deliver guaranteed success. However, the only success achieved by Mikel Arteta’s men was a fourth placed finish and a place in the Champions League. Despite the Gunners taking the lead in an FA Cup fifth round tie against Brighton and Hove Albion, it was their visitors that progressed with a 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium as the Seagulls replicated a Carabao Cup exit inflicted on Arteta’s side earlier in the season.

Osimhen looked to have sent the Gunners in the Europa League Final when his brace helped them to a 3-0 home win in their semi-final first leg with Real Sociedad - but the search for silverware was officially ended when a much-changed Arsenal side fell to a 5-0 defeat in the second leg. A fourth placed finish, albeit one secured with a 14-point deficit to champions Liverpool, provided some positivity - although Osimhen’s 12 goals and one assist in 40 appearances will be seen as a rather poor return from the striker.

Newcastle United

Perhaps Osimhen’s biggest achievement in all of his possible moves was usurping Alexander Isak as both Newcastle’s club record signing and first-choice striker. With the Nigerian international leading the line, the Swede was forced into a supporting role from a wide position - although they formed quite the partnership with the duo providing 30 goals and 11 assists between them.

That was not enough to lead the Magpies to silverware, with a home defeat against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup second round and and FA Cup fifth round defeat at Chelsea extending the club’s long wait for a domestic trophy into another season. They also missed out on a place in the Champions League despite heading into the final four games of the season sat in third place in the table. Away draws at Leeds United and Brentford and home defeats against Liverpool and Southampton saw Eddie Howe’s side end the season in fifth place in the table, two points shy of fourth-placed Chelsea.