New Napoli boss, Luciano Spalletti says Nigerian international forward will be one of the stars he will build his team’s attack on and that the Super Eagle is as important to the team as Dries Mertens and Andrea Petagna.
Spaletti was officially unveiled as Napoli boss on Thursday and the former AS Roma boss says the club’s most expensive acquisition, Osimhen will be one of the central points of his project-relaunch as he has set the target of picking one of the four UEFA Champions League tickets on offer at the end of next season.
“Osimhen knows how to score goals,’ said the boss who has vowed to make the Nigerian a better striker.
‘He (Osimhen) has excellent qualities and will be as important to the team as Mertens and Petagna.’
Spalletti believes he can help the club’s record-signing striker Osimhen improve his game at the Serie A club.
The former Inter Milan coach sees remarkable qualities in Osimhen and will also try to help the Super Eagles forward improve in the protection of the ball.
Osimhen scored 10 times in 24 appearances in his first season in the Italian topflight despite missing 24 games due to a combination of the shoulder injury he copped in Nigeria’s 4-4 draw against Sierra Leone in an African Nations Cup qualifier, covid-19 positive test and a head injury.
The Nigerian scored eight of his 10 goals between March and May this year and was instrumental to Napoli late but futile push for a Champions League place last term.