Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen takes up exciting new role at Napoli

Following the departure of a few key players in Naples, the Nigeria international has become one of Il Partenopei’s most influential stars

Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has been handed a new role as the number one penalty taker for Napoli, heading into the 2022-2023 season.

Osimhen takes over that crucial responsibility from Italian playmaker Lorenzo Insigne, who left Napoli this summer to join MLS side Toronto FC.

In two years at Napoli, Osimhen did not take a single penalty for the Neapolitans, despite winning six in Serie A alone last term.

The 22-year-old, however, previously showed at his former clubs, Sporting Charleroi and Lille, that he has the temperament for penalties, with six spot-kicks converted out of the eight he attempted.

And on Sunday night, Osimhen scored his first ever penalty for Napoli, as he opened the scoring for Luciano Spalletti’s men in the friendly encounter with Spanish side Mallorca.

After just eight minutes in, the referee spotted a handball in the Mallorca box and awarded Napoli a spot kick.

Maintaining his cool, Osimhen smashed an unstoppable shot past goalkeeper Rajkovic.

Since teaming up with Napoli in 2020, Osimhen has managed 28 goals and nine assists in 62 appearances – the most he has scored for any club in his career. Twenty-four of his goals have come in the Italian Serie A alone.