Victor Osimhen explains why he turned down the Premier League for Serie A and Napoli, idolising Didier Drogba and the ‘dream come true’ of following Diego Maradona’s footsteps.
The 21-year-old completed his transfer from Lille for €50m plus €10m in bonuses, Orestis Karnezis and three youth team players, for what the French club registered as a total of €81m.
The move had seemed in doubt for weeks, with Arsenal and Liverpool also interested, but he eventually signed for Napoli.
Victor Osimhen explains why he turned down the Premier League for Serie A and Napoli, idolising Didier Drogba and the ‘dream come true’ of following Diego Maradona’s footsteps.
The 21-year-old completed his transfer from Lille for €50m plus €10m in bonuses, Orestis Karnezis and three youth team players, for what the French club registered as a total of €81m.
The move had seemed in doubt for weeks, with Arsenal and Liverpool also interested, but he eventually signed for Napoli.
“Many predicted I will move to the EPL, and I had a lot of interesting offers from some clubs. But Napoli was the best choice for me,” Osimhen told CAFonline.com.
“It was so because of the kind of player I want to be in the future, and the kind of great career I want to have. I have no doubt that Napoli is the club I need to achieve that greater height.
“The relationship between me and Coach (Gennaro Gattuso) and President (Aurelio De Laurentiis) is a very interesting one, because even before I came to Napoli, I spoke with both. They convinced me even more to sign for Napoli. The relationship is going very well, and I just want to repay them on the pitch for the trust they have in me.
“I’m really looking forward to a new career here in Serie A. Playing against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo is something one can eagerly await. So, I’m looking forward to facing him soon.”
Much has been said of the fact Osimhen is officially the most expensive African player of all time, so does that ramp up the pressure?
“There is no pressure on me since I came here rather, I just need to work and do what I loved doing. I just need to do my work on the pitch and give my all like I have always been doing and getting the goals for both my club and country. This is the most important thing for me and there is no pressure at all. I just want to do my thing in my own way.”
The forward’s idol is Drogba, but he is now joining Napoli, the club where Maradona is still revered decades after he took them to the Scudetto.
“Choosing Drogba as a role model has really been helpful since my growing up years. I have not met him yet and I’m really looking forward to seeing him and getting one of his signed jerseys; that would really be a dream come true for me.
“Now, playing in a club that used to have Diego Maradona, who is undoubtedly one of the greatest players ever, is inspiring. Maradona is an idol here in Napoli and I have seen his pictures everywhere. He is truly the best. To be here and to play on the same pitch of Maradona is another dream came true.”