In a shocking twist that has sent football fans into a frenzy, Manchester United’s new £71 million signing, Bryan Mbeumo, has stirred serious controversy after publicly excluding Nigerian star Victor Osimhen from his list of top African footballers. Instead, he named Ademola Lookman — the same man Osimhen once overshadowed — sparking outrage, suspicion, and whispers of bias on and off the pitch.
Bryan Mbeumo, the French-born Cameroonian forward who recently joined Manchester United from Brentford, has landed himself at the center of an African football storm — and it’s not just about stats.
Speaking during an interview on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast while on United’s U.S. tour, Mbeumo was asked a simple question: “Who are your top three current African players?”
His answer?
“Salah, Lookman, and Hakimi.”
No Osimhen.
No mention of the reigning African Best.
No nod to the man who bagged 37 goals, 8 assists, and carried Galatasaray to a league and cup double — all while on loan.
Fans didn’t take it lightly.
Social media exploded with reactions.
One fan said:
“Any list without Osimhen in it is just not correct.”
Another wrote:
“He didn’t even mention Osimhen, who’s literally better than all aside Salah.”
But here’s the kicker: Why Lookman?
Lookman had a decent season with Atalanta — 20 goals, 7 assists. But Osimhen’s numbers were from another planet.
So the question buzzing among Nigerian fans now is: Was this a calculated snub? Or is there an unspoken rivalry boiling beneath the surface?
🏆 STATS WAR: OSIMHEN vs LOOKMAN vs SALAH
| Player | Goals | Assists | Trophies Won |
| Osimhen | 37 | 8 | 2 (League + Cup) |
| Lookman | 20 | 7 | None |
| Salah | 34 | 23 | EPL Champion |
Salah — fair pick.
Hakimi — arguable.
But Lookman over Osimhen? Many believe it smells like tribal sentiment or plain football politics.
Even more suspicious? Mbeumo named Samuel Eto’o, Drogba, and Yaya Touré as his greatest African footballers of all time — all of them West Africans, but still no Osimhen nod.
This snub has reopened old wounds in the African football community — about favoritism, national cliques, and whether Nigerian players are truly respected at the highest level. Some fans are now questioning if Mbeumo’s move to Manchester United could bring tension into the African locker room.
As Osimhen prepares for the upcoming season with Galatasaray, all eyes are watching:
Will he respond on the pitch… or with a clapback of his own?
Until then, one thing’s clear:
This is more than football — this is politics, pride, and power.
