Super Eagles star Tolu Arokodare has been heavily-linked with Napoli as a potential replacement for the injured Romelu Lukaku…
Italian Serie A champions Napoli are prioritizing a transfer for Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund, as they have made Tolu Arokodare their second option, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Partenopei are desperately in search of a striker this summer, as they need to replace Romelu Lukaku who sustained a muscle injury three days ago.
Lukaku will be out of action for at least three months, and that is a big loss for them, as he was key to their Scudetto success last season.
So Napoli need to get another marksman to help them prosecute the first half of the season before the transfer window closes on September 1.
Tolu Arokodare’s name has been floated around Naples, as he is coming off a great campaign with Genk.
He contributed 23 goals and seven assists in 45 appearances for the Smurfs last season. And that has seen him linked with multiple clubs this summer.
However, Napoli are not prioritizing a transfer for the Super Eagles star. They only see him as a second option.
Why Napoli Prefer Hojlund to Tolu Arokodare
According to Alfredo Pedulla, per Napoli Magazine, Napoli are prioritizing a transfer for Manchester United star Rasmus Hojlund.
The Danish striker has failed to deliver in his first two seasons at the club. He has only managed 26 goals and six assists in 95 appearances for the Red Devils.
Hojlund has been linked with many clubs this summer. It was even believed that he was on his way to AC Milan, but the club opted for Victor Boniface instead.
Napoli will now try to agree on terms with Manchester United to land Hojlund. They believe he is more similar to Lukaku than Arokodare. He also has Serie A experience.
But if the Hojlund move does not work out, Napoli will return for Arokodare. From the looks of it, Arokodare might be an easier and cheaper deal to close than Hojlund.
Arokodare is valued at around €20-25 million, while Hojlund could cost up to €40million.
Napoli are desperate to wrap up the deal quickly. So they will likely be having discussions with Genk while dealing with Manchester United, just in case the latter makes the transfer difficult.