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Former Everton boss likens Victor Osimhen to ex-Liverpool hero Fernando Torres

Torres left Liverpool in January 2011 to join Chelsea for a British record transfer fee of £50 million, which made him the most expensive Spanish player in history.

Former Everton manager Rafael Benitez has compared Nigerian international Victor Osimhen to former Liverpool player Fernando Torres.

After his startling transfer to Chelsea, Torres, nicknamed “El Nio” (the kid), may not have had the best of times away from Anfield Stadium. Still, the Reds supporters will always remember his valiant efforts for Merseyside.

He was recognized at his peak for his speed, precise finishing, and mastery of heading. He was third in the 2008 Ballon d’Or voting, and in 2008 and 2009, he was selected for the FIFA World XI.

The 62-year-old then claimed that the red-hot Nigerian striker reminds him of the current Atlético Madrid Juvenil A boss due to his speed and ability to score goals with his head.

The former Real Madrid manager praises Osimhen in an interview with Sky Sports while recognizing Luciano Spalletti’s outstanding squad.

“Osimhen reminds me of Torres. A very fast and strong player in the head. But when we talk about Napoli, it is not fair to talk about a single footballer. It is great teamwork that of the Azzurri”. he said, as cited by Tutto Napoli.

He gave Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti further plaudits and predicted that the Serie A title leaders would take home the UEFA Champions League.

“Spalletti is an experienced coach; he wins and does it well. He is doing very well in a city where football is very felt. I told him they would win the championship, and he said, ‘No, let’s not talk about it out of dismiss.’ But in the end, I think it will be like this. The Champions? The team is strong, and they have a lot of confidence, and I think they can make a good path. I don’t know where they will go, but they have skills, quality, and an experienced coach. So I think it can go all the way.” he added.

For the first time since 1994, the Parthenopeans and the Eagles will square off in a Champions League round-of-16 match.

 

 

This post was last modified on %s = human-readable time difference 5:49 pm

Ayomide Oguntimehin

Ayomide Oguntimehin is a CAF-accredited sports journalist and an Editor at Soccernet.ng, with a proven track record in conducting interviews with Super Eagles stars such as William Troost-Ekong, Taiwo Awoniyi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Ademola Lookman, and many others. He has also made a significant impact in breaking transfer news stories. Grounded in video editing, video journalism, social media management, and content strategy, Ayomide brings a wealth of expertise to his work. With a Bachelor's degree in English Language from Adeyemi College of Education and a Master's Degree in School Library and Media Technology from the University of Ibadan, Ayomide is well-prepared to excel in the field.

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