By Akinwale Kasali
After months of speculations and negotiations, the Magazine can officially announce that Victor Osimhen will dorn the No 9 jersey for Naples Club Side, Napoli Football Club of Italy in the Italian Serie A in the 2020/2021 soccer season.
The gangling Super Eagles Striker cost the Italian giants €81 Million from French Ligue 1 side, Lille Metropole Football Club on a five year deal.
With the acquisition of Osimhen, he becomes the most expensive Nigeria Footballer ever, toppling the likes of Mikel Obi, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Jude Odion Ighalo among others.
In a tweet announcing his signing for the Italian Club Side, Osimhen wrote: “The next chapter @Napoli is a very exciting one and I can’t wait to get on the pitch with the team. I want to thank the fans for the past few weeks. I will definitely give my all on the pitch for the common good of the club,” Osimhen tweeted.
Going down memory lane, the former Wolfsburg Football Club of Germany Forward said, “I come from a place where so many dreams have died but I’m the kind of person who don’t give up irrespective of my situation. So, I was forced to go out and get myself a life.
“It wasn’t easy, but I had to do it and that set my path in which I will never give up in life no matter the situation or where I am and that gave me the zeal and momentum no matter what life throws at me,” Osimhen said.
He added, “Growing up in a family where it was hard to get three square meals in a day, I can say that I have seen it all in life; the hardest part was when I was at Wolfsburg. It was really a tough period for me and at some point, I started doubting my abilities.
“I had thought that everything was going to be smooth after my days with the Golden Eaglets but I thank God for the experience I went through at Wolfsburg and it made me realise that life is not that easy as it seems.”
Napoli Football Club can’t hide their joy in signing the promising youngster.
“We are very happy at Osimhen’s arrival,” Aurelio De Laurentiis, Napoli president, said on Radio Kiss Kiss.
“(Gennaro) Gattuso (Napoli manager) really wanted to sign Osimhen. (Director of sport Cristiano) Giuntoli did a great job because the lad changed his agents during the negotiations.
“We don’t have to expect everything and immediately, even if he doesn’t score 25 or 30 goals, but he should express himself well in this extraordinary team and also make the other Azzurri score.”
“Lille will receive circa €80m, while the player osver the years will get between €4m and €4.5m per season”, Napoli revealed.
