Victor Osimhen is presently one of the brightest stars in Europe as his goal scoring form has propelled Napoli to the top of Serie A in the on-going campaign. OLALEKAN OKUSAN writes on the rise and rise of the Super Eagles forward so much so to be so jointly-crowned Europe’s prolific scorer along with Real Madrid’ Karim Benzema.
That Victor Osimhen has started repaying back his record signing from Lille to Napoli in the summer of 2019 is an understatement considering the infectious form of the Nigerian in the colours of the Serie A side.
From four matches in the Serie A, the former Golden Eaglets star has netted four while most of his goals have aided Napoli’s rise to the top of Serie A. He has also single-handed salvaged a point for Napoli in Europa League after his brace restored parity away to Leicester City in the UEFA Europa League in the month of September.
On the strength of what befell him in his maiden season in the Serie A, Osimhen is proving doubters wrong after he scored 10 goals in 30 appearances with Napoli in his first season at the club.
Meanwhile, the 22-year-old Super Eagles striker has been described as heir to Romelu Lukaku who helped Inter Milan to their first Scudetto last season for the first time since 2010.
According to former Napoli striker Gianfranco Zola believes the Nigerian has all the qualities to emulate Lukaku.
“Napoli are really strong in every department,” Zola , the former Chelsea legend , said. “Osimhen’s movements are so good and his athletic strength can be devastating. He is Lukaku’s heir, he is still young and with room for improvement.”
Impressed by Osimhen’s display in Napoli’s 2-0 rout of his team, Cagliari coach Walter Mazzarri described him as phenomenal and dangerous when with the ball and enough space.
“Osimhen is phenomenal because he runs alone at five players and gets through. If you look at genuine scoring opportunities, compared to the number Napoli created lately, I didn’t see that many,” Mazzarri reportedly told DAZN.
Former Juventus and former Italian international Vincenzo Iaquinta said Osimhen’s physical and innate qualities makes him as an extraordinary striker in a similar mould to when he (Iaquinta) was at the peak of his game.
After featuring for a few lesser-known sides, Iaquinta rose to become one of Italian football’s finest finishers under the tutelage of Spalletti at Udinese. And the 2007/08 Coppa Italia top scorer is convinced that the union of Spalletti and Osimhen can power Napoli to the Scudetto title.
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“For clarity, Osimhen does not argue: speed, technique, and power are the innate qualities of this extraordinary striker,” Iaquinta told Il Mattino.
He continued: “Osimhen has characteristics very similar to those I had: high and fast, he attacks the depth: there are few forwards like that. Today, with these qualities, there is only Haaland who has some crazy times.
“With Spalletti, Napoli got off to a great start, with an extraordinary place that can become enthralling: it is useless to hide, also thanks to Osimhen, they (Napoli) can aim to win the Scudetto.”
Though Osimhen has emerged as one of Serie A’s brightest stars, statistically, Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella has outperformed the Super Eagles forward in the top-flight this campaign.
Osimhen alongside Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema are the joint-top scorers in Europe’s top five leagues for September 2021 as Osimhen equalled Benzema’s tally on Sunday with his sixth goal in September which steered Luciano Spalletti’s side to a 2-0 Serie A win over Cagliari.
Having started the season without a goal in his first two appearances for Napoli this season, Osimhen has since discovered his goal scoring form with a brace in the UEFA Europa League to salvage Napoli a 2-2 draw against Leicester City for .
Osimhen would soon follow it up with a goal in their 4-0 bashing of Udinese on September 20 and a brace in another 4-0 win over Sampdoria, three days later.
At the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Sunday, Osimhen’s fourth Serie A goal of the season was scored and it lifted Napoli to the top of the league table.
“I’m really happy,” Osimhen told the club’s website. “It was important for me to start the season well and I want to thank the coach for his confidence in me. I’m honoured to play for this club.
“Last year I had Covid and then got a bad injury. I’m in good shape this season. I’m training consistently and I’m listening to the advice the coach gives me and the help I get from the team.
“I’m pleased with what I’m doing but I know I need to continue working hard. We all need to continue down this track,” he added.
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