Evra Urges Manchester United to Sign Osimhen and Challenge Rashford

Patrice Evra has made his mind up. If Manchester United want to look like Manchester United again, they must sign a ruthless No.9 – and for him, that means Victor Osimhen.

The former United left-back, speaking to GOAL in association with Stake, did not dance around the issue. With Benjamin Sesko the only natural centre-forward in Michael Carrick’s squad, Evra believes the club should be prepared to pay big for a proven goalscorer.

Osimhen has already done his proving. He fired Napoli to the Serie A title and left Italy with 76 goals across four seasons. In Turkey, he has simply kept swinging. The Nigeria international has struck 59 times in 74 games for Galatasaray, numbers that have inevitably put him on United’s recruitment radar.

The problem? His contract in Istanbul runs until 2029. Any move would demand a huge bid just to get Galatasaray to the table. Evra’s view is clear: United should not be scared of that conversation.

“A striker, someone who scores a goal. I think that's what I'm looking at,” he said when asked what the club still need before the window shuts. “That's why for me, Osimhen is the best. He’s a perfect example.”

Evra sees enough firepower elsewhere in the squad to support a marquee centre-forward. He expects Andrey Santos to help cover the loss of Casemiro, was encouraged by what he saw from the Brazilian in pre-season, and still trusts Bruno Fernandes to dictate games. Patrick Dorgu, Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo add further attacking options.

The concerns, for him, lie behind them.

“Defensively, they may need to find a good alternative left-back. Maybe another centre-back,” Evra said. “Harry Maguire, for me, is doing his job and you know, he’s criticised a lot, but he shows you the resilience. I think maybe we need to find a good right-back, a good attacking and defensive right-back.”

So in Evra’s mind, the blueprint is simple: one elite striker, smarter depth across the back line, and United suddenly look a lot more like contenders than a work in progress.

Rashford’s reset

While United scour the market, one familiar face is effectively being treated as a new signing.

Marcus Rashford, on the club’s books since the age of seven, is being folded back into the squad after loan spells at Aston Villa and Barcelona. At 28, he had explored the idea of a permanent move away, but 426 appearances and 138 goals for United carry weight. Inside the club, there is a belief he can still shift games in their favour.

Evra thinks the slate has been wiped clean – and that the fanbase is ready to meet Rashford halfway.

“I think United fans, they forgive. They forgive,” he said. The noise, he argued, often comes from elsewhere. “But after, you know, there's all the pressure on social media and stuff like that, I think Matheus Cunha is doing very well.”

Then came the challenge. Rashford, Evra insists, has to confront a new reality.

“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.”

Evra’s message to the club is as blunt as his message to Rashford. Find the goalscorer. Fix the defence. And make sure those already inside Carrick’s dressing room are ready to fight for every minute.