All You Need To Know About The Victor Osimhen Transfer Saga :: Nigerian Football News
Remember the reaction to arguably the greatest show on TV-The Sopranos? Every fan of the show was keen to know what will happen to Tony Soprano- the man who birthed the love for anti-heroes.
The ending to the show did not answer questions. In fact, it raised more questions than answers with audience debating if Tony was killed or he continued living his life.
While Osimhen’s character is not the same as Tony, the Super Eagles star’s future has been a subject of the debate, and a lot of people are eager to know where he’ll end up this summer, which is the reason for the Tony Soprano comparison.
Osimhen joined Lille from Royal Charleroi for 12m euros after scoring 20 goals in 36 appearances for the Belgian side.
The 21-year-old has been destined for bigger things since he finished as the top scorer at the 2015 U-17 World Cup in Chile.
Following his success at that tournament, he signed for Wolfsburg, but he struggled at the club due to injuries. At a point, he even had to battle malaria, which threatened to cut his career short.
However, he has been able to overcome his early struggles to become one of the most sought after strikers in Europe.
After he signed for Lille last year, there were still doubts if he has the pressure to cope in any of Europe’s top five leagues.
But he cleared any lingering doubts, scoring Lille’s two goals in their opening day win over Nantes. Osimhen went on to score 16 times more to finish as Les Dogues top scorer in all competitions last season.
His impressive season has seen his value increase more than five times what Lille paid for him. And due to Lille’s model of selling players for big money, the Nigerian international is expected to leave Stade Pierre Mauroy this summer.
With a lot of Nigerians interested in the decision he takes, Soccernet provides the latest update on his future.
Who are the clubs interested in him?
Napoli are leading the race to sign the Nigerian, and the Nigerian was in Naples a few weeks ago to discuss with the club’s chiefs.
How serious is the interest?
It was reported that Genaro Gattuso agreed to give a portion of his wages for Napoli to raise funds for Osimhen’s signature, and that shows they are ready to bring him in at all cost.
So is everything sealed?
No. Despite holding talks with the club, everything has not been sealed with reports claiming Osimhen is not too keen on a move to Italy.
However, according to a source, the deal is being delayed because the Nigerian is not too happy with the way his agent acted during negotiations. Osimhen’s agent reportedly wanted a bonus from the transfer fee, and that angered the 21-year-old.
What Next?
Reports came out yesterday that Osimhen has changed his agent, and he is now represented by William D’avilla who manages the likes of Samuel Kalu, Moses Simon and Henry Onyekuru.
With the change of agent, it’s believed that Osimhen will sign for Napoli and could even have his medical at the club this weekend.
So what has been the reaction so far?
Osimhen’s future is the major talking point among Nigerian sports lovers, and that’s because it’s been a while since the country had a player in a move like this.
Final Thoughts
The former Royal Charleroi star should still join the Gli Azzuri despite the debate whether it’s the right club for him. However, with the way they play, Osimhen should have no problem performing in the Gattuso managed side.