Victor Osimhen: Excelling At Lille Has Given Me Confidence I Can Shine At Any Club

After initially struggling to make a breakthrough in Europe, the Nigerian youngster believes he is well equipped to make his mark at any of the continent’s biggest sides.

A barren spell at Wolfsburg created doubts about his quality, but after excelling at Sporting Charleroi and, now, Lille, Victor Osimhen says he’s confident he can thrive even more at a bigger club.

Osimhen is enjoying a spectacular debut season in France, having netted 18 goals and provided five assists in all competitions for Les Dogues.

His fine form has made him the subject of interest from the world’s top clubs, including Manchester United, Liverpool, and Real Madrid.

It’s a remarkable turnaround for a youngster who couldn’t make the grade at Wolfsburg and was rejected by both Zulte Waregen and Club Brugge less than two years ago.

The 21-year-old striker, who was already a world champion in his teens, admits he suffered a crisis of confidence at the German side.

He regained it, though, at Charleroi, where he smashed in 20 goals in his first full, injury-free campaign playing as a professional.

A big-money move to the Ligue 1 followed in the summer, and the Nigerian forward has not stopped scoring since, all thanks to one key ingredient.

“I think for me it’s all about confidence,” he told The Independent.

“The quality of players at Lille helped me settle in well, and now I know that I can survive at any club and be 100 per cent confident that I will shine. To play [and score] against the likes of Chelsea in the Champions League is a dream come true.

“Without football, I don’t know where I’d be. It’s my life. I’m on this Earth to play football. I still have a lot of ambitions and objectives to achieve, and I’m not there yet. But when I think of how far I’ve come, I’m really proud of myself.”