Former international, Friday Elahor, is confident that Super Eagles’ striker, Victor Osimhen, will win the next African Player of the Year award if he maintains his current form.
The Napoli striker has been instrumental to his club’s current number one position in the Italian Serie A, scoring 21 goals and providing four assists in 25 games for his club.
Speaking to The Guardian yesterday, Elahor stated that Osimhen’s exceptional form is exactly the kind the country craves for ahead of next month’s matches of the Cote d’Ivoire 2024 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.
“Osimhen, in my own opinion, is doing extremely well, scoring goals for his club both in the Serie A and UEFA Champions League. And that form is exactly what Nigeria wants to see him show in the Eagles team by the time the AFCON qualifying series begin. Even at the main tournament, we will like to see him show that same form for the national team.
“And the question of him succeeding Sadi Mane as the next African’s best is understandable, as long as he keeps with the pace of his form.
“For me, I think there is no one at the moment competing with him for that position. At the end of the season, we will see what will happen. But at the moment, the boy is in excellent shape,” he said.
Meanwhile, Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport has reported that Osimhen will earn an additional €260,000 (N120m) if he scores 30 goals for the Parthenopeans in the 2022/23 season.
The 24-year-old recently activated his goals bonus in his contract after scoring his 20th goal of the season, which saw him earn €130,000 (N64m).
The Nigeria international scored in Napoli’s 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League round of 16 to take his tally for the 2022/23 season to 20 and unlock the €130,000 bonus (N63.6m).