Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti and ex-Bologna director Walter Sabatini both maintain Victor Osimhen is ‘preferable’ to PSG star Kylian Mbappé.
The 22-year-old Nigeria international has nine goals in 10 competitive games for the Partenopei so far this season, between Serie A and the Europa League.
When Sabatini was asked to choose between Osimhen and Mbappé, he opted for the Napoli centre-forward.
“If I were to pick one of them, I’d go for Osimhen. He is unstoppable, because he can run onto seemingly impossible balls and make them count,” Sabatini told the Corriere dello Sport newspaper.
“Right now, I would choose Osimhen.”
Spalletti was posed the same question during today’s press conference and came to the same conclusion.
“I agree with what he said and I have always thought that,” smiled Spalletti.
Mbappé is also 22 years old and cost Paris Saint-Germain €145m when they signed him from AS Monaco in 2018.
He has six goals and eight assists in 13 competitive games for PSG so far this season and won the Nations League with France.
Officially, Napoli completed their transfer for Osimhen from LOSC Lille for €70m plus bonuses.
However, a large chunk of that was calculated in player exchanges, so the real cost in cash is reportedly closer to €50-60m.
Osimhen took off! 🛫
The Nigerian leaps highest to head in a late goal for Napoli 👏 pic.twitter.com/7k0gaGd1UV
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 17, 2021
I wish Osimhen had a lineal claim for Italian citizenship as he could help bolster the Nazionale striker position. He seems like a mature player for his age.