Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti has hailed Nigerian international forward Victor Osimhen as a player who can decide the course of a game.
Osimhen’s header proved enough for Napoli to beat Serie C side Pro Vercelli 1-0 today in a friendly.
The goal is his fifth ofthe pre-season under the new gaffer.
The Super Eagles striker however missed an open goal after the restart and did seem irritable and had tense words with both his teammates and the opposition defenders, who he felt were being too rough for a friendly.
“Osimhen is a player who has the ability to change any situation into an opportunity. Obviously, this running around and continually making himself
available to press, it does have an effect on his sharpness in front of goal and can lead to errors,” said Spalletti who has set a target of a top four finish for the players.
The coach says he is determined to keep Osimhen who has been linked with a move to Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspur.
Spalletti says he will chain himself to the Nigerian and indeed all the Napoli players he inherited from former gaffer, Gennaro Gattusso.
“I want to chain myself for all the players, as I’ve already said that I will be very happy if the squad remains as it is,” said the coach.
When referencing the transfer market and strategy adopted by President Aurelio De Laurentiis, the coach again warned he is against selling any more key figures.
“This has to be a remain a strong squad, as there are at least seven in Serie A at our level right now. We need a squad that can hold out against that.
“Our intentions are to finish in the top four, we’re not hiding from that.”