Victor Osimhen has become one of the latest players to come out of the Luis Campos scouting system. It is almost certain that the striker will leave Lille sooner or later, with clubs already looking at the idea of signing him. As impressive as his form has been, a move to Real Madrid will not make sense for the youngster. Leading online bookmakers have started offering the best odds that Oshimen might be the next one off the production line with a big move.
The Los Blancos have been drawing links with a move for the striker. The 20-year-old, as per Le10Sport, is said to be on Real’s and Barcelona’s radar. The report goes onto state that the clubs did make contact with Osimhen in the January transfer window.
Osimhen came to Lille in the midst of an exodus. Nicolas Pepe, Rafael Leao and Thiago Mendes had left the club for a fee of about €120 million. But for a sporting director like Luis Campos, it wasn’t much of a problem. Osimhen came to the club from Belgian club Charleroi for a fee of around €12 million. And he hasn’t disappointed anyone.
In his first season at a top-five club, Osimhen has already got 11 goals in Ligue 1. Having made 22 appearances in the league, he’s already got three assists too. He’s already equalled his goal contributions tally from the Belgian league last season when he got 12 goals and three assists. And he looks well on his way to getting his highest goalscoring tally in the career.
His Nigerian and Lille teammate Loic Remy has talked highly of the striker. The former Chelsea man said:
“I think Victor was a big discovery for everyone and it once again underlined the wise recruitment choices of the club, who were very shrewd in the choice that they made.
“I think that Victor is a player with a big future. I’m at the stage now where I can identify players who have potential and who are serious and diligent in all that they do and he strikes me as that type of player.
He’s already very much given the value for which he was brought in. He’s won as many as 4.6 aerial duels per game, with his ability to take 3.2 shots per game being vital in increasing his goals output this season. He isn’t an exceptional passer or a dribbler, as he completes 13.1 passes per game and comes up with just 0.8 key passes per game. He’s also had a tally of 0.4 dribbles per game for the side. That is very much a reflection of how he plays.
At the age of 20, he’s become a reliable outlet for goals. He adds physical and the threat of a target man to the team. His hold-up allows him to get others involved and he isn’t bad with his back to goal. If given enough chances and freedom to get shots away, he scores a good amount of goals.
Despite his qualities, he isn’t a viable option for Real Madrid. It isn’t a doubt about his qualities or whether he can go the way long-term. But because of how Real already have options in that position for the first-team.
Luka Jovic came to the Santiago Bernabeu for big money. But he was meant to be a long-term option. It isn’t his fault that Karim Benzema seems to be in top form, having scored 18 times in all competitions and coming up with seven assists too. Any striker will find it tough to break into the side when Benzema is playing so well.
For a youngster who’s playing his first season in Spain and has the burden of a big transfer fee, it was always going to take time. Jovic might not be playing currently- not as much as people would want. But he is very much a reliable option in the long-term when Real look to ease the transition from the post-Benzema era.
That should deter a young striker like Osimhen. There are other clubs that will come in for him, considering there is an increasing demand for proper number nines in the market. Manchester United got on in Odion Ighalo, while both Tottenham and Chelsea were after one. There is every chance they go after them in the upcoming summer transfer window too.
Osimhen has to wait and then make the right decision.
