Man United would have killed off Nottingham Forest earlier with £100m Victor Osimhen up front

Manchester United were without a number of players for their 2-0 win at Nottingham Forest due to injury, but the one they really need is in southern Italy, where they are desperately trying to get fit for the Champions League quarter-final against AC Milan on Tuesday.

Napoli star Victor Osimhen looks like a United No9 in every way, the perfect man to take on Erling Haaland. In his recent exclusive interview with Mail Sport, Osimhen spoke of his admiration for Haaland and with the Nigerian in their line-up, United would be more confident against Pep Guardiola’s men.

Osimhen would cost more than £100 million and Napoli are a diabolically difficult club to negotiate with. But the 24-year-old let slip that his ‘dream’ was to play in England’s top flight and despite their relative decline in recent years, United remain attractive. Adding Osimhen to an attacking division with Bruno Fernandes, Antony, Marcus Rashford and Christian Eriksen would be huge.

They should have won by more goals at Forest, but with Marcus Rashford injured and Antony Martial wayward when it mattered, Steve Cooper’s relegation-threatened side were in the game until Diogo Dalot scored the second with 14 minutes remaining. With Osimhen, the game would have been played long before that.

Antony is a “YouTube player,” Darren Bent sneered. “He can beat nobody,” Rio Ferdinand argued. They’re not the only ones. Ever since Manchester United’s £85 million signing pulled a bizarre trick in a Europa League tie last October, pundits have been lining up to take aim. ‘What a waste of money’ seemed to be the consensus.

There is an alternative view. Whoever says any player signed by Ajax – arguably the best developers of young talent in the world – is probably worth a second look. Especially if he is also a regular in Brazil’s selection. Perhaps Antony is like any other young man who starts a new job in a new country. He needed time to find his footing and is doing so now.

Antony is not yet the foregone conclusion, but on Sunday Erik ten Hag compared him to Arjen Robben, one of Europe’s best forwards for a decade at Bayern Munich. His first goal at Forest – sliding in to convert a loose ball at close range – was more important than any trick. It showed the hunger, strength and instinct it takes to thrive at this level.

Don’t be surprised if the 23-year-old striker leaves a few household names with egg on their faces.

Whether Nottingham Forest stay or fall, the key players must sit around the table at the end of this season and promise ‘never again’.

Never again will we make Jesse Lingard our highest paid player at £120,000 a week if the manager who just led us to promotion didn’t specifically ask about him. Lingard’s Premier League tally this season reads as follows: 14 starts, zero goals, zero assists.

Never again will we sign a lucrative deal for a player like Jonjo Shelvey when anyone who watched Newcastle regularly knew his best days were behind him.

Never again will we create a culture where the people who control recruiting can be hired and fired so quickly. Ross Wilson was in the stands for United’s home defeat following the departure of sporting director Filippo Giraldi. Giraldi only arrived last October, shortly before George Syrianos and Andy Scott were fired.

Forest are a brilliant club enriching the Premier League. They have passionate owners who really care, a promising manager in Steve Cooper, great fans and Brennan Johnson, a star in the making. But next season a little more rest off the field would be welcome.