After rising higher than the Cagliari defense last weekend to give Napoli a 1-0 lead after 14 minutes, Manchester United fans may be forgiven for speculating about the likelihood of Victor Osimhen playing for their club.

In a way, it was reminiscent of a player at the club who scored a late headed goal to help the Red Devils earn a 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur last season. This was not the first time Cristiano Ronaldo had scored a powerful header for the Partenopei, and it certainly was not the last for the Portuguese forward.

As proven by his goals against Leicester City in the Europa League group stage, then against Torino, Venezia, Cagliari, and most recently against Cagliari, the Nigerian superstar has made it something of a habit this season.

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Three of Osimhen's four-headed goals in Serie A this season have occurred since he returned from a major facial injury sustained in November. This is even more impressive. Super Eagles don't shy away from aerial combat, even if it's risky, because they don't fear aggravation.

Both the Nigerian and Ronaldo's decisiveness last time out was further amused by the differing levels of criticism they experienced prior to their games with Igor Tudor's club and Tottenham respectively.

A certain amount of embarrassment was felt by Osimhen when he failed to score a goal against yet another supposedly major Italian league side. There was speculation that the former Real Madrid star had deserted his teammates during their ensuing derby thumping by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

In his heyday and even after reaching the age of 30, the point at which most footballers begin to decline, the ex-Real Madrid star thrives on criticism.

Despite the fact that Osimhen is a long way off from reaching the heights of Cristiano Ronaldo, his fiery mindset cannot be understated. Following his unintended motivation of the frontman prior to last weekend's meeting in Verona, Tudor may have come to this conclusion in hindsight.

When asked how serious he considered the Nigerian's threat, he responded, "No, no." In my opinion, [Osimhen] is not the finest striker in Serie A. I consider him to be one of the best, but Dusan Vlahovic is the best in my opinion."

Aside from a brief statement from the Napoli No. 9, his performance at a place where the Azzurri had lost in January and against opponents they had not beaten in three meetings was precisely what the doctor ordered.

It surely reignited speculation over the striker's future, with Arsenal and Manchester United fans praising his abilities.

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When it comes to negotiating a fee for Napoli's star player, the stumbling barrier for any interested party has been and will continue to be the managerial uncertainty at United.

Due to the expiration of Edinson Cavani's contract and the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo is not projected to be a long-term solution for the Manchester giants, space can be made for the former Lille striker if it becomes necessary.

It's also possible that the 23-year-old isn't interested in joining a team that has been without a clear direction in recent years.

The scenario at Arsenal is somewhat different, with everyone appearing to be pulling in the same direction, and their eye-catching team construction is also laudable.

The summer trading season is drawing closer, and with it, the anticipated promise of greater clarity when trade resumes. If you're looking for Osimhen, this season is far from finished as the striker looks to score his tenth goal against Udinese, which would make him the first Nigerian to reach double figures in Serie A goals in two successive campaigns.

Only two of the young striker's nine goals have come at the Stadio Olimpico, which may explain in part why Luciano Spalletti's side has the seventh-best home record in the league, despite outperforming every other team when only performances on the road are taken into consideration.
With a win over a seemingly ordinary club that has one of the poorest records on the road, title-chasing Napoli may draw level with rivals AC Milan and take the lead in the Serie A title race.

Throughout his illustrious and illustrious career, Ronaldo has seen Osimhen accept numerous challenges, and he understands this all too well.

So, perhaps they are both made of the same stuff after all?