Former
Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson has cautioned his former team about acquiring Liam Delap, asserting that the Ipswich Town forward isn’t seen as an “improvement” over Joshua Zirkzee or Rasmus Hojlund. Instead, he recommends pursuing Victor Osimhen, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.
Gibson voiced concerns over Manchester United’s purported interest in the 22-year-old Delap, contending that Ruben Amorim’s team requires a seasoned forward such as the Nigerian international instead of adding yet another promising youngster.
Frankly, I don’t believe Liam Delap represents an improvement over Zirkzee or Hojland,” Gibson stated to AceOdds. “Both of them are very young players joining during a challenging period.
Usually, younger forwards benefit from having an experienced forward they can learn from and collaborate with. If Manchester United had signed Harry Kane two years earlier, I believe Hojlund or Zirkzee would now be different players, gaining valuable insights from him.
The ex-Republic of Ireland player feels that Manchester United’s underperforming strikers could improve with guidance from an experienced forward, highlighting the significant pressure young athletes experience at Old Trafford.
I don’t intend to diminish Delap’s abilities, but I don’t see him as an improvement,” Gibson went on. “Rio mentioned the recent pressures at Manchester United and how players often underestimate the difficulty of performing there.
At present, Delap is based at Ipswich where he doesn’t face significant pressure. He plays freely, which isn’t the case at Manchester United. There they require a seasoned forward. My primary choice would be Victor Osimhen. He consistently finds the back of the net and has ample experience. This older player could mentor the team’s younger members.
Nevertheless, Gibson’s favored choice seems progressively less likely to sign with United, as Osimhen is nearing a transfer to Al-Hilal, the reigning champions of Saudi Arabia, despite fervent pleas from Galatasaray fans.
The player, who is 26 years old, is apparently nearing a deal with Al-Hilal for a three-year agreement estimated at approximately £15 million annually, as reported by Sky Sports. This comes following an impressive performance in the Turkish Süper Lig where he scored 25 goals and provided five assists across 29 matches during his time on loan from Napoli.
Galatasaray supporters have initiated progressively inventive efforts to convince the Nigerian forward to stay in Istanbul, which includes expressing their earnest request on a Times Square billboard in New York City as part of the continuous #staywithus movement.
Nevertheless, these emotional pleas seem unlikely to dissuade Osimhen from moving to Saudi Arabia, as Al-Hilal chairman Fahad bin Nafel has allegedly received verbal assurance of the forward’s intention to sign with the team based in Riyadh.
Sacha Tavolieri from Sky Sports Switzerland has reported that Osimhen is directly negotiating with Bin Nafel, with individual conditions nearing agreement. The proposed contract could potentially provide an annual salary totaling up to €17.5 million, inclusive of bonuses.
The transfer can only be completed once the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Sport gives its approval; additionally, the ‘financial feasibility’ committee has not yet authorized the disbursement of the essential governmental funds needed to finalize the deal.
Provided by Syndigate Media Inc. (
Syndigate.info
).
