‘I am convinced that Napoli have found a crack striker in Victor Osimhen’ – Ex-Italy star

The former Lille man got fewer goals in his maiden season in Italy than he got in his only campaign in France, but many can’t deny the Nigerian’s immense potential

Former Italy international Salvatore Bagni believes Napoli have discovered a goalscoring machine in Victor Osimhen.

The ex-Napoli midfielder is tipping the Nigerian striker to score twice as many goals as he managed in his first season in Serie A.

Napoli’s 2020/21 season ended in disappointment after the club surrendered their UEFA Champions League spot to Juventus following a lame draw against Verona on the last day of the campaign.

But Osimhen’s end of the season form was a bright spot in the side’s dark clouds after scoring seven goals in his last 11 games.

The Super Eagles number nine ended his maiden campaign in the Italian topflight with ten goals in 24 league matches.

But the 22-year-old left many with the feeling that he could have smashed in more goals if he had not missed more than three months of the season to injury and coronavirus-related issues.

Napoli have replaced manager Gennaro Gattuso with veteran tactical genius Luciano Spalletti, with the former Roma gaffer expected to get the best out of Osimhen.

Bagni shares similar bullish optimism and has even predicted that Osimhen will score more than 20 goals next term, a situation which could turn the former Sporting Charleroi marksman into a nightmare for opposing defenders.

“I am convinced that Napoli have found a crack striker in Victor Osimhen,” Bagni told Tele A as per Area Napoli.

“In my opinion, the Nigerian will score more than twenty goals in the next football season and will be fundamental for the new Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti. This is my prediction.

“Victor Osimhen, in the last season, was often nervous because, after the serious injury he suffered, he struggled to return to his usual levels.

“Then, when he found the right physical condition, he was reborn. He was much more cheerful, also available to his teammates. In the last football season, he only showed his talent.”

Osimhen continues to be linked with a move away from the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples. Still, the former Golden Eaglets hero is reportedly happy to stay at least another year in Italy.