He is just 20, but 2019 will go down as one of Victor Osimhen’s best years in his career. It is the year that his stars finally aligned, with the world taking notice of his potential.
Osimhen has always been destined for greatness after bursting on to the stage at the 2015 U-17 FIFA World Cup. The then 16-year-old was the tournament’s top scorer, while he also won the silver ball at the competition.
Following the tournament, Bundesliga side, Wolfsburg won the race to sign the tall striker, with the hope it will be the beginning of a great career.
However, Osimhen struggled to get going with the Wolves due to injuries. He only made 14 appearances for Wolfsburg before he was shipped off to Belgium.
He had trials with Belgian side Zulte Waregem and Club Brugge, but it was cut short due to malaria, which affected his physical condition.
But despite his condition, Royal Charleroi took a chance on him by taking him on loan from Wolfsburg, and it was there his career picked up.
He spent just a season at Charleroi, but he made his mark, scoring 20 goals in 36 appearances. His performance for Charleroi made Lille pay 13m euros for his services.
Les Dogues were hoping to boost their attack after losing their top scorer Nicolas Pepe to Arsenal. While Osimhen was not a like for like Pepe replacement, Lille took a chance on him, and it has worked out.
The Super Eagles star has taken Ligue 1 by storm, terrorizing defences and eating goals for supper. The 20-year-old has scored ten times in the French topflight, while he also has two in the champions league and one in the Coupe De La Ligue.
According to a report from transfermarkt, no player in Ligue 1 has seen a higher rise in value than Osimhen this campaign. The 20-year-old was bought for 13m euros, but he is now worth 30m euros according to the report.
With him finally starting to fulfil potential, clubs are monitoring his situation, and there are reports Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool are all interested in his signature this January.
But will a move to the English Premier League benefit him? A move to the best league in the world is a dream for most players, but Osimhen will be wise to stay put at Stade Pierre Mauroy till the summer at least.
Spurs appear to be the favourites to sign Osimhen, but a move to North London will do his career more harm than good.
The Lilywhites have former Lille assistant manager as part of Mourinho’s staff, while Lille’s sporting director Luis Campos is a friend of Mourinho.
However, while a move to Spurs looks exciting on paper, it will likely affect Osimhen’s development. Spurs have a striker of similar style in Harry Kane, and he can’t displace the England international.
Should he sign for Spurs, he will probably be an understudy to Kane, and that may affect his development. A move to Liverpool is also out of the question as it will be difficult for him to bench one of the fabulous trios.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has shown faith in youth this season, but the pressure of playing for the Blues may be too much for the Super Eagles star.
Osimhen is still at a young age, so there’s no need for him to rush. He’s development is going on well at Lille, and there’s no need to change that for now.
The English Premier League is a player’s dream, but the reality is Lille is the perfect place for Osimhen to be right now, and there’s no need to change that.
