Former Manchester United first-team coach Benni McCarthy has revealed that the club’s recruitment team specifically "scratched off" Victor Osimhen from their transfer shortlist due to concerns over his availability during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Speaking in a recent interview with the BBC World Service's Newsday, McCarthy disclosed that the Nigerian striker was originally "at the top of the list" for the Red Devils during his historic, title-winning stint at Napoli. However, the biennial tournament, which typically forces players to miss a month of the European season, proved to be an insurmountable hurdle for United's decision-makers.
"If you spend £100m on a player, you don't want to lose him for AFCON," McCarthy explained during the interview. The former South African international, who served as a forwards coach under Erik ten Hag, emphasised that while he believed Osimhen would have been a "perfect fit" at Old Trafford, the hierarchy feared the team would suffer significantly without their primary goalscorer during a critical stretch of the Premier League season.
The strategic pivot led United to pursue alternative targets, eventually resulting in the £72 million signing of Danish international Rasmus Højlund from Atalanta in August 2023. McCarthy also confirmed that while Harry Kane was Ten Hag’s primary choice, the club’s reluctance to invest heavily in an older player while also securing a long-term asset like Højlund ended their pursuit of the England captain.
Osimhen, the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, has since moved on from Napoli, securing a permanent transfer to Turkish side Galatasaray in July 2025 following a successful loan spell. McCarthy expressed regret over the missed opportunity, noting that Osimhen’s pedigree would have likely brought great success to Manchester.
Ironically, Manchester United continued to grapple with AFCON-related absences regardless of the decision, losing key players like André Onana to the tournament in subsequent seasons.