Napoli has finally won the Seria A after 33 long years courtesy of Victor Osimhen. The limitless striker helped Napoli fans roister the domestic silverware giving them plenty of joy to dance on. He was brilliant, to say the least, having scored 23 goals – the most goals in Seria A 2022/23. He was equally alluring in the Champions League where he scored 5 jaw-dropping goals before his team was knocked out in the quarter-finals by AC Milan.
The 24-year-old joined Napoli in July 2020 for a whopping €81 million and is expected to be over £100m in the upcoming transfer market. Victor Osimhen is being chased by Manchester United who are badly in need of a scary number 9. The Red Devils were extremely dependent on Marcus Rashford this season who has only been on the scoring sheet for them plenty of times. Apart from Marcus, not a single player has scored the tally of 7 goals in this season’s Premier League depicting the team’s lack of finisher in the final third.
Striker behind the mask
Victor Osimhein may well fit into Erik Ten Hag’s style of play; Premier League football for that matter. He has been gifted with pace and the ability to make counter-attacks which we often accompany English teams with. The Nigerian’s fiery temperament and outrageous skillset are a match made in heaven; something we relate Erling Haaland with.
Osimhen has made headlines in the Neopolitan after being compared to legend Maradona. Exhibiting deadly accuracy, Osimhen draws comparisons to the likes of Didier Drogba as well. Many Italian journalists have expressed his virtues which are one to be heard.
“Osimhen has really grown to be this leader that they need on the pitch,” Italian football journalist Mina Razouki told BBC Radio 5 Live. “He doesn’t give up. His performances have been ridiculous. Right now, the team is dependent on him.
“On a technical level, he’s always been brilliant. And we’re starting to see the consistency that he provides right now. Certainly, he’s got to be one of the top five strikers in the world.”
Victor Osimhen’s consistency this season has been ridiculous and his goal-scoring tally has helped him reach 100 goals earlier than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
His international coach Jose Peseiro is as fond of the striker as any. “Victor is a player who has an extraordinary goalscoring instinct,” the Portuguese told BBC Sport Africa. “He is an intelligent, fast, aggressive player with an extraordinary feeling for being in the right spot. He will score many more goals and will make history even more times.”
Osimhen’s rise up the ranks
Victor came into the eyes of media houses when he scored 10 goals in the Under-17 world cup in 2015. His goals helped the Eagles clinch the title for the fifth time after which the striker left Ultimate Strikers Academy for Wolfsburg.
His time in Germany wasn’t a pleasing one as he had to go through a period of 16 games without netting the ball. The Nigerian however improved his fortunes after making a loan move to Belgian side Charleroi where he was named team’s player of the year after scoring 20 goals. The superstar was purchased by Charleroi for €3.5m which was a steal considering the team sold him after two months of Lille for €12.5m.
“[Victor] He was very, very shy, very humble. He was not talking too much,” said French defender Dorian Dervite who played alongside Osimhen at Charleroi. “He was 18, 19 – very young. But he concentrated on achieving his dream to become one of the best strikers in world football.
“You could tell he was very dedicated to it. Victor was focused, kept his head down, working very hard. He has improved a lot and where he is now, he deserves it.”
Premier League – a place of his dreams
Victor Osimhen has been vocal about his desire to play in the Premier League and has called it his dream. The Nigerian forward has been pursued by Man United who may well be able to get him successfully this summer.
His style of play is potent for a team like Manchester City but with Erling Haaland already at their disposal, it makes sense for Osimhen to be his nemesis and challenge him for the Golden Boot next season.
Victor if enters the Premier League will give a sharp run of excitement to English fans where they will see the likes of Mo Salah, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, and Osimhen fighting for the Golden Boot. His presence will make Manchester United even stronger and toughen the fight for the top four with every team getting adept to win the title.
Osimhen to Man United is a story that should unfold not only for the fans of Manchester but football per se.