Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
Italian football side, SSC Napoli, have confirmed the signing of Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen, from French outfit, Lille, on a five-year contract.
The deal, worth €50 million fee + bonuses, was announced on Friday, July 31, 2020, making him the most expensive African player of all time.
Victor Osimhen was signed as a replacement in Lille following the move of Nicolas Pépé to Arsenal in a £72 million deal. They signed Victor Osimhen for £12m to replace him.
Now, they have sold him to Napoli in the €50 deal after scoring 18 times in 38 appearances for the Ligue 1 side in all competitions last season before French football was called off due to COVID-19 pandemic.
He helped Nigeria win the U-17 World Cup in 2015 when he finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals.
Osimhen started his youth career at Ultimate Strikers Academy in Lagos and turned pro shortly after he turned 18 when he joined German outfit, Wolfsburg.
He spent the 2017/2018 season in Germany before moving to Belgian side, Charleroi, on loan the following year, scoring an impressive 20 goals in 36 appearances.
Osimhen had been linked with several top European clubs following his impressive goalscoring season, including Arsenal and Liverpool, although he will appear in Serie A in the 2020-21 campaign.
Now, Osimhen will spearhead Napoli’s attack next season as they look to return to the Champions League having missed out this year.
The Neapolitan side will finish only seventh in Serie A, although they have guaranteed qualification for the Europa League group stage by winning the Coppa Italia after beating Juventus.
