Lille are a team that is well on the rise. The fact that they are plied their trade in this years elite European competition – their first time in over 6 years – is a further testament as to why this team is one to certainly keep an eye on in the near future.
The cancellation of the season has seen the club finish fourth in the league table, capturing yet another Champions League spot for next season, along with surprise outfits Marseille and Rennes along with champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Filled with gifted, technical, skilful and pacey players, this is a team set out to excite.
Lille were the success story of the season before last, finishing second behind Paris Saint-Germain in the French 2018/19 league standings. However, after losing highly influential players most notably in Nicolas Pepe and Rafael Leao, moving to Arsenal and AC Milan respectively, many fans feared that their club’s rise was falling fast.
Though, those departures now seem a distant memory. Thanks to the shrewd and astute work done behind the scenes by sporting director Luiz Campos, Lille now hold an attacking talent that looks as every bit capable as the departing pair.
There may have been groans at the sight of losing such gifted performers in Nicolas Pepe, but the Lille faithful marvelled at the feet of yet another potential world class talent in Nigerian wonderkid Victor Osimhen. It won’t be for much longer though, with a move to Italian giants Napoli all but completed.
At just 21-years of age, with 13 goals in Ligue 1 and two Champions League goal on his resume, Osimhen has quickly established himself as one of the brightest young forwards in European football. Snapped up from Belgian outfit Charleroi for just €12m (£15.5m) last summer, the Nigerian striker has taken no time in settling in to his new surroundings. When he made the move this summer, little did he know he would come flying out of the blocks so quickly, now he is a player deserving of the high praise he has received so far, forcing fans across Europe to stand up and take notice.
Having suffered from some physical issues during his time at Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg, a temporary spell in Belgium was just the kick-start he needed to propel his career once again. It was at Sporting Charleroi where Osimhen quickly restored his confidence. The Nigerian scored 12 times in 25 top-flight appearances in Belgium, and it is because of his blistering form in Belgium, that he garnered the attention of French outfit Lille.
Wolfsburg may have underestimated a player who made the most rapid and decisive start to a Ligue 1 career since Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
Victor Osimhen’s blistering start to life has also taken him to the clubs history books, his goal against Strasbourg in February in a 2-0 victory took his tally that day to six goals in seven games, which made him the fastest Lille signing to reach those figures in over 50 years. A remarkable feat.
The Nigerian young striker has shown no signs of slowing down either. His form played a huge part in allowing the fans and board to quickly forget about Nicolas Pepe. The Ivorian was involved in 33 (22 goals, 11 assists) of Lille’s 68 goals last year in which they finished behind Paris Saint-Germain. Pepe’s goal return accounted for 48 percent of Lille’s goals last season, and his departure would have been felt greatly.
As well as his 13 strikes in the French league, Osimhen also laid on 4 assists taking his overall involvement to 17 out of Lille’s 35 league goals meaning he matched Nicolas Pepe’s goal-involvement from the previous year.
The Nigerian’s rise to prominence has taken everyone by storm, though.
We are talking about a young man who had to endure the passing of his mother early in his life and the fact that he grew up in a poor and unstable neighbourhood, scrounging for football boots in the dump as a young adolescent. He was even diagnosed with a bout of malaria, which played a role in his failed trials with Club Brugge and Zulte Waregem, however, these obstacles could not stop the youngster from pushing for the top, and that determination to beat such illnesses and press on is truly evident in his performances on the pitch.
As well as being a threat in front of goal, its his tenacious energy both with the ball and without it sets him apart from the rest. His understanding with French international winger Jonathan Ikone is simply devastating. This is a kid that is already drawing quick comparisons to former Chelsea player and legend Didier Drogba, and the way in which he took his goal against Chelsea; a bullet header from a corner certainly took a leaf out of Drogba’s book.
Victor Osimhen is not only a reliable goalscorer with his shot conversion rate at an impressive 13.8, but his all-round play is a standout feature in his game. Whenever he’s presented with the opportunity to create chances for his fellow forwards, he’s unselfish enough to lay the ball on a plate for them. He’s a striker who loves doing the dirty work, pressing from the front, or using his languid and lean build to hold off his markers and link with his teammates. He’s a freight train when at full throttle, running down the wings or chasing down loose balls.
Another element to keep a close eye on is whether Osimhen can become the main man up-front for his country. No.9 has become a bit of a problem position for Nigeria over the last decade. Current options such as Odion Ighalo, Ahmed Musa and Kelechi Iheanacho have flattered to deceive at times, and maybe it is time for Osimhen to take the reigns. He’s certainly got the charisma and abilities required to lead his country.
The current Nigeria squad is currently blessed with a wealth of fresh young talents such as Wilfried Ndidi, Henry Onyekeru, Josh Maja, Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina, Samuel Chukwueze, and Joe Aribo. What’s to stop Osimhen becoming the main man within such an exciting generation of yongsters? With the striker hopefully leading the line for years to come, the future surely does look bright for the Nigeria national team.
Osimhen already looks a prospect built for Serie A, his reported next destination. His raw assets are formidable, possessing that unique instinct of getting into the right goal scoring positions, and even in the areas where he needs to improve, he has already demonstrated that he has the capacity and hunger to progress.
For now, those Didier Drogba comparisons seem a long way off. However, there is no doubting Osimhen’s abilities and his formidable time France already shows he is on the right lines to progress into a future star.
He is on course to becoming Africa’s most expensive player providing he completes his moves to Naples for a reported €50m fee + potential add ons.
Napoli manager Gennaro Gattuso may just have the striker he so desperately needs in Osimhen. He’s a different breed to Milik or Mertens and will provide them with such a raw and efficient weaponry up front. The Nigerian forward is a fighter, a real fox in the box, and a striker not afraid to do the dirty work from the front too. Just the kind of characteristics Gattuso craves.
Victor Osimhen + Napoli may be match formed in heaven.
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