Arsenal legend Theirry Henry has urged Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen to leave Napoli in the summer transfer window. The striker scored an equalizer to salvage a point for the reigning Serial A champions against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) on Wednesday night.
This was Osimhen’s first match since he returned from representing Nigeria in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The 25-year-old, on his return to Naples, was introduced straight into the starting lineup by new manager Francesco Calzona.
Reacting to Osimhen’s performance, Theirry Henry on CBS Sports said, “I think he needed that today. At the AFCON, we saw he can lead the line, he runs into the channels, he can hold the ball, and he is clever enough to understand how to roll defenders, I do think that he needed that goal.”
Osimhen’s start in the team was in doubt due to reported fatigue and medical concerns he faced during the AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire.
Having been starved of goalscoring opportunities, it appeared as though the ex-Lille star wouldn’t have any tangible contribution in the UCL fixture yesterday, but the Nigerian international in his wont scored for Napoli against the run of play to cancel Robert Lewandowski’s lead for Barcelona.
“How good can he be? He showed last year what he could do, he won African Player of the Year along the way winning what he won with Napoli, even though he did not win the final against Ivory Coast with Nigeria,” Henry added.
“I would like to see what he can do in the Prem (Premier League) or Paris-Saint Germain. I don’t know where he is going to go, but I want to see him doing it every year. He did what he did to win the title at Napoli after the big man Diego Armando Maradona and it is something that will stay forever in history.
“All the best to you in your career.”
Osimhen’s future and the feasibility of Henry’s advice
Back in December 2023, Victor Osimhen was appreciated for his efforts in leading Napoli to their first-ever Scudetto title since 1990 with a contract renewal slated to expire in 2026.
Said to have been laced with a buyout clause of €130 million, Osimhen’s new contract according to multiple sources is a way for Napoli’s President Aurelio De Laurentiis to get the best investment out of his prized and most coveted asset, who club’s hierarchy is keen on selling, if the right offer is tabled.
With Kylian Mbappe set to depart Paris Saint Germain for Real Madrid in the summer, reports claim PSG’s hierarchy has identified Osimhen as a potential replacement for the 2018 World Cup winner.
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