Former Premier League manager Rafael Benitez can see shades of Fernando Torres in Napoli striker Victor Osimhen amid reported interest from Arsenal and Newcastle United in Serie A’s top scorer, speaking to Sky Italia.
Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 clash between Napoli and Eintracht Frankfurt might have been overshadowed somewhat by Liverpool’s remarkable capitulation at home to Real Madrid. But if yet another rematch between these these time-honoured superclubs did not rock your boat, preferring to see two of Europe’s most exciting young centre-forward go head to head, then the Commerzbank Arena was the place to be.
In the end, Victor Osimhen got the best of Randal Kolo Muani; the former opening the scoring in Germany some 20 minutes before the latter was sent for an early bath.
That was Osimhen’s 20th goal in just 24 games this season, the irrepressible Nigerian bringing his potentially Scudetto-winning form onto the European stage.
Could Victor Osimhen leave Napoli for the Premier League?
“Osimhen reminds me of Torres,” says Benitez, a Champions League winner with Liverpool back in 2005. “A very fast player with a strong header.”
According to Tuttomercatoweb, Arsenal remain in hot pursuit of the former Lile frontman. Saudi-backed Newcastle United are big fans of the rangy Nigeria international too; Corriere dello Sport reporting that The Magpies made a staggering £84 million offer during the January transfer window.
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Napoli are likely to demand closer to £100 million; Manchester United, Chelsea and Bayern Munich all prioritising an elite-level number nine this summer.
“Compliments both to (Napoli director Cristiano) Giuntoli and to (president Aurelio) De Laurentiis,” says former Serie A chief Guiseppe Cannella; the former Siena and Salernitana boss making sure to highlight the good work of ‘one of his own’.
“Giuntoli because he believed in his own ideas and carried them forward. And to De Laurentiis for having given confidence and carte blanche to his director. The championship challenge is a credit to the Napoli project.
“At the moment, it is difficult to really evaluate the price of Osimhen. The price is based on the request. If a team like PSG or similar asks you, (Napoli will sell) for more than 100 million euros.”
In other news, Liverpool hero says Trent Alexander-Arnold broke ‘golden rule’ vs Real Madrid
