Evra's Call for Manchester United to Sign Victor Osimhen
Patrice Evra has made his mind up. If Manchester United are serious about fixing their attack, he wants them to go all-in on Victor Osimhen.
The former United left-back, speaking to GOAL in association with Stake, believes the club cannot head into the sharp end of the window with Benjamin Sesko as the only natural No.9 in Michael Carrick’s squad. For Evra, the answer is obvious.
“A striker, someone who scores a goal. I think that's what I'm looking at. That's why for me, Osimhen is the best. He’s a perfect example,” he said.
Evra’s call for a marquee No.9
Osimhen has been on United’s radar before, and his numbers keep dragging his name back into the conversation. He fired Napoli to the Serie A title and left Italy with 76 goals across four seasons, a haul that put him among Europe’s elite finishers.
He has not slowed down in Turkey. The Nigerian has hit 59 goals in 74 appearances for Galatasaray, maintaining the same ruthless edge in front of goal. That kind of return does not come cheap. He is under contract in Istanbul until 2029, which means any club – United included – would need to put a huge offer on the table just to start a conversation.
Evra, though, thinks United should be ready to pay. With Sesko the only out-and-out centre-forward in the squad, he sees a glaring need for a proven scorer to lead the line.
Trust in Santos, belief in the core
The Frenchman accepts United will feel the absence of Casemiro, but he is backing a younger option to step into the gap.
“We're going to miss Casemiro, but I believe in [Andrey] Santos and what I saw in pre-season, he can do something good over there,” Evra said.
He still views Bruno Fernandes as the heartbeat of the side – “he’s still Bruno” – and pointed to a growing cast of attacking threats: Patrick Dorgu, Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo among them. In his eyes, United have enough firepower in wide and creative areas. The missing piece is the killer in the box.
Defensive surgery still required
Evra did not limit his assessment to the front line. He believes United’s back four still needs work.
“Defensively, they may need to find a good alternative left-back. Maybe another centre-back,” he suggested.
He defended Harry Maguire, a player often targeted by critics, praising the centre-back’s resilience and insisting he is “doing his job” despite the noise around him. But Evra still wants more depth and quality across the line.
“I think maybe we need to find a good right-back, a good attacking and defensive right-back,” he added, underlining the demand for a full-back who can influence both ends of the pitch.
Rashford’s second act at Old Trafford
Amid the talk of new signings, one familiar face feels almost like a fresh arrival. Marcus Rashford, on United’s books since the age of seven, is being folded back into the squad after loan spells at Aston Villa and Barcelona.
Now 28, Rashford had been open to a permanent move away. Instead, he finds himself back at the club where he has already made 426 appearances and scored 138 goals, with expectations quietly rising that he can still shape games in a United shirt.
Evra, a Premier League and Champions League winner with the club, believes the slate has been wiped clean for the forward.
“I think United fans, they forgive. They forgive,” he said. “But after, you know, there's all the pressure on social media and stuff like that, I think [Matheus] Cunha is doing very well.
“It's up to Marcus to accept that maybe he’s not the first choice. I'm not the first choice, but I'm going to prove to you guys that when I'm going to be on that pitch, I will bleed and die for Man United.
“So he just needs to be honest with himself. But the fans forgive. Some of them, yes, on social media, they're going to make some noise, but the real United fans, they really want Marcus Rashford to succeed at United.”
The message is clear. Evra wants United to spend big on a ruthless No.9, reinforce the defence, and challenge Rashford to fight his way back into the core of the team. The question now is whether the club will match that ambition before the window slams shut.
