Lille striker Victor Osimhen has continued to give reasons why he is the natural heir apparent to retired Odion Ighalo for Super Eagles’ top marksman’ shirt, writes IKENWA NNABUOGOR…
Victor Osimhen may have exorcised anything left of the ghosts of retired Odion Ighalo with his incredible burst of goals, especially in the colours of his French side.
The Lille top front man has continued to remind watchers that Ighalo may well be resting well in his retirement as he appears to have stepped in gamely with full goal promises.
Ighalo shocked Nigerians and Eagles fans worldwide with his shock retirement after grabbing the top scorer’s award at AFCON in Egypt in July leaving the coach Gernot Rohr to go shopping for a perfect replacement.
Osimhen had been tagged along at AFCON for just cameo roles and ropes learning as Ighalo grabbed all the goals and leaving even no crumbs for other front men like Henry Onyekuru and the misfiring Paul Onuachu.
Ighalo’s void shoes were left to be filled and Osimhen, who had earlier been courted by AC Milan and other top spenders in the summer transfer window, appeared to have provided perfect answers to Ighalo’s sudden puzzle.
Vintage Osimhen, no stranger to act of goal banging, knew Ighalo’s sudden departure needed urgent presidential approval and provided the answers to the jigsaw puzzle by netting admirably for his French side.
His mouth-watering equaliser against giants Chelsea for his first Champions League goal has also done his confidence a world of good.
At last count, the former Wolfsburg striker had buried seven goals to go top of the French Ligue 1 goals race to further lay claim he is the man for the Eagles top job.
Young, fast, skillful, bold and strong, though lacking a bit of international experience, Osimhen has no one to convince again Ighalo’s shoes are automatically his.
Firing at 20, Osimhen sure has plenty years ahead of him to stay at the top and should he continue this incredible run, it will always remain as good as it gets for the former Golden Eaglets sensation.
Osimhen’s young career has been everything full of events, from grabbing an historic 10 goals at U17 World Cup four years ago, to savouring U23 AFCON winners’ medal round his neck, to capping his first ever senior tournament at AFCON 2019 the third best, summarizes a growing profile worth taking note of.
Scoring his way to Eagles’ glories will surely put a gloss in his career. He could, perhaps, chase late Rashidi Yekini’s Eagles’ records, with who he shares same physical appearance, you bet?
But then he must work hard to step in to grab his shirt and continue to make a big statement with his goals.
Surely, Osimhen appears not in a hurry to leave his foot off the throttle, all to the benefit of the Super Eagles.
