Manchester United supporters could be forgiven for talking about Victor Osimhen’s ability to play for their club after he was taller last weekend than sending the Hellas Verona defense to Napoli 1-0 after 14 minutes.
In a sense, it bears similarities to a man at the club whose late goal helped the Red Devils’ 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur. For Cristiano Ronaldo, this kind of driven header was not a first and was not the last for United Marksman.
Osimhen, for his part, has made it a habit to prove this notion by scoring against Leicester City in the Europa League group stage, as well as against Torino, Venezia, Cagliari and most recently, in Cagliari.
Editors Picks
Getty.
Even more commendable is the fact that three of the Nigerians’ four-headed goals in Serie A have come to terms with this since a return from a serious facial injury in November. Instead of avoiding air battles for fear of a possible deterioration, the Super Eagle never seems to hold back, sometimes risky.
The decisiveness of the Partenopei Striker and Ronaldo last time more amused due to the varying levels of criticism received in the games with the Igor Tudor team respectively with Spurs.
For Osimhen, there was a bit of censorship when shooting another so-called big club in the top division of Italy. For the former Real Madrid striker, there has been a suggestion that he beat team-mates in their next derby against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
The former Real Madrid star remains of criticism, an intrinsic mentality that was evident for the majority of his Premier and even after 30 o’clock, the time when normal footballers start to fall.
While Osimhen is still far away to reach the heights of Ronaldo, his fierce mentality cannot be overstated. This is something the Tudor realized in retrospect after unconditionally motivating the frontman ahead of last weekend’s meeting in Verona.
“No, no,” he said when asked how highly he rated the Nigerian’s threat. “[Osimhen] is not the best forward in Serie A, no. He is one of the best, but for me the best is Dusan Vlahovic.
While there was no public response from Naples number nine, its showing on a field where you Azzurri lost in January last year and against opponents they had not defeated in three meetings was exactly what the doctor ordered.
It has undoubtedly revived the discussion about the striker’s future, with fans of Arsenal and Man United emphasizing the qualities of the frontman for their side.
GOAL recently explained the pros and cons of a move to North London for the Super Eagles, whose best years still look ahead of him.
While the Red Devils have to sort out their management insecurities, the stumbling block for a fee for the Naples frontman to negotiate remains an issue for any interested party.
With Edinson Cavani’s contract at Old Trafford expiring and Ronaldo not expected to be a long-term fix for the Manchester giants, at least room can be made for the ex-Lille striker if needed.
That being said, the above search for a new boss means the 23-year-old may not be willing to move to a club that has appeared without a rudder in recent years.
Getty Biller
In fact, this is different from the situation at Arsenal, where everyone at the club looks to pull in the same direction with their eye-catching squad building also commendable.
The summer window is getting closer and closer and with it an expected promise of clarity when trading begins. As for Osimhen, this season is not over yet as the striker’s 10.
Getty
Interestingly, only two of the nine strikers’ young strikers have been in Naples, partly explaining why Luciano Spalletti’s troops have the seventh best home record in the league, while beating every other side if only the results are counted on the road.
Title chasing Naples could move the AC Milan level up with a win over a seemingly ordinary side that holds one of the worst records on their travels.
Osimhen’s hefty mentality saw him face some challenges, something Ronaldo knows all too well during his cherished and decorated career.
Maybe they were cut from the same fabric, after all?
Add Comment