The Lille striker has joined the Partenopei for a record transfer.
Napoli have confirmed the signing of Victor Osimhen from Lille. The Nigerian has been widely speculated to join Partenopei after reportedly having agreed on personal terms earlier this month. Napoli have now beaten the likes of top clubs like Arsenal, Tottenham, Real Madrid to capture the African talent. Although little information has been provided, Napoli is understood to have signed the Nigerian striker for a whopping €80m, as per the reports from BBC, making him the club’s record signing. Osimhen has surpassed the Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain to become the Partenopei’s most expensive player.
Osimhen has taken to Twitter to announce his arrival as he appears ready for a new chapter at the San Paolo Stadium.
The message read as follows:
The next chapter @officialsscnapoli is a very exciting one and I can’t wait to get on the pitch with the team , I want to thank the fans through the last few weeks,and I will definitely give my all on pitch for the common good of the club🙏🏽#ForzaNapoliSempre 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/zIGWTLpSeI
The 21-year-old had enjoyed a brilliant season in Ligue 1 – one of the main reasons for drawing interests from Europe’s top clubs. He capped off the league by bagging 13 goals and 5 assists in 27 matches while adding another 5 goals to his name in other competitions. Osimhen has also been a star performer for the Nigerian national at such a young age, finding the nets 4 times in 8 appearances.
Nigerian head of football Amaju Pinnick also weighed in on his thoughts about Osimhen’s transfer, claiming that the youngster would have the same impact as Diego Maradona had at the club.
“I think Victor Osimhen is an excellent signing for Napoli. I’ve followed them from when they had Maradona. Naples is a proud city and also in football terms.”
“Osimhen is a source of pride for African football. He’s disciplined but focused on objectives, and if he wants something, he knows how to get it. He made the right decision for his career. I already believe he’ll receive the right support from the club and its fans.
Having probably signed the most expensive player of the summer, all eyes will be laid on Napoli in the upcoming season. Although the current season hasn’t gone as many would have expected, the late surge under Gennaro Gattuso has been evident, and the Italian manager will try to push his side for the title challenge next season.
