The Nigerian attacker has been one of the biggest stars of the Italian top-flight this month, and a former Serie goal-king sees similarities in their games
Ex-Juventus star Vincenzo Iaquinta says Victor Osimhen’s physical and innate qualities make the Super Eagles ace an extraordinary striker in a similar mould to when he (Iaquinta) was at the peak of his game.
Osimhen endured a few criticisms in his first year in Naples after managing ten goals following his club-record switch from Ligue 1 side Lille.
But some of the youngster’s most prominent critics have become his praise singers after starting the new Serie A campaign stunningly.
Osimhen has started the season in brilliant form, becoming Napoli’s leading marksman with six goals in his last four games. Remarkably, four of those goals have arrived in his last three league games, while he also added another two in the Europa League.
Osimhen’s excellent goalscoring run makes him the most prolific striker in the European top 5 leagues alongside Benzema and even better than Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland.
FIFA 2006 World Cup winner Iaquinta believes Osimhen can still improve under Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti.
After featuring for a few lesser-known sides, Iaquinta rose to become one of Italian football’s finest finishers under the tutelage of Spalletti at Udinese.
And the 2007/08 Coppa Italia top scorer is convinced that the union of Spalletti and Osimhen can power Napoli to the Scudetto title.
“For clarity, Osimhen does not argue: speed, technique, and power are the innate qualities of this extraordinary striker,” Iaquinta told Il Mattino, as per TuttoNapoli.
“Spalletti, however, when he has this type of bomber, goes to the party because he manages to enhance the attack to the depth with his way of setting the manoeuvre.
“Osimhen has characteristics very similar to those I had: high and fast, he attacks the depth: there are few forwards like that. Today, with these qualities, there is only Haaland who has some crazy times.
“With Spalletti, Napoli got off to a great start, with an extraordinary place that can become enthralling: it is useless to hide, also thanks to Osimhen, they (Napoli) can aim to win the Scudetto.”
Osimhen has emerged as one of Serie A’s brightest stars. Statistically, only Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella has outperformed the Super Eagles forward in the top-flight this campaign.
