Benni McCarthy Reveals AFCON Schedule Cost Osimhen Manchester United Move

Former Manchester United first-team coach Benni McCarthy has disclosed that the biennial timing of the Africa Cup of Nations was the primary reason the Premier League giants abandoned their pursuit of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen.

McCarthy, who served under former manager Erik ten Hag and played a key role in striker recruitment, confirmed that Osimhen was initially "at the top of the list" of transfer targets following his sensational 2022-23 campaign with Napoli, where he scored 26 league goals to help the Italian side claim their first Serie A title in 33 years.

However, the South African football legend explained that United's hierarchy ultimately baulked at the prospect of investing heavily in a player who would be unavailable for several weeks every two years during the European season.

"If you spend £100m on a player, you don't want to lose him for AFCON," McCarthy told Newsday on the BBC World Service. "I think he would have been very successful there. But it was a big stumbling block. Losing him for so many important matches, the team suffers not having the main striker there."

McCarthy revealed that the scheduling conflict proved decisive: "So the decision was made. Literally (a) big part was because of the AFCON and Victor Osimhen's name got scratched off—not a player of interest because of that."

Instead, United opted to sign Danish international Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta for £72million in August 2023. Hojlund managed 26 goals in 95 appearances for the Red Devils before joining Napoli on loan last September in a move that ironically filled the vacancy left by Osimhen's departure.

Meanwhile, Osimhen has found success in Turkey with Galatasaray. The 27-year-old, who was named African Footballer of the Year in 2023, initially joined the Turkish champions on loan in September 2024 before making the switch permanent last July for €75million, commanding a salary of approximately €20million per annum.

The Nigerian justified Galatasaray's substantial investment on Tuesday night, scoring as the Turkish side secured their place in the Champions League Last 16 with a 7-5 aggregate victory over Juventus. Despite suffering a 3-2 defeat in extra time in Turin, Galatasaray progressed and will now face either Liverpool or Tottenham in the next round.

The revelation underscores the ongoing tension between international continental competitions and European club football, with African players particularly affected by the mid-season scheduling of AFCON—a situation that continues to influence major transfer decisions at elite clubs.