When Victor Osimhen left Germany at the start of the 2018-19 Season on loan to Sporting Charleroi, the 19-year-old Nigerian was fighting for the soul of his nascent career.
That professional career had barely even taken flight than it hit a major snag; a few but then a major, when injury set backs will lead to few or no game time several weeks unend at Wolfsburg.
Finally, the club lost faith in the biggest teen property from the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup, where he had scored a tournament-record 10 goals to help Nigeria clinch the Trophy.
The club are even ready to cash in on the youth prospect whom they signed for £900,000. Wolfsburg Directors have placed a £3.5m buyout clause on the teenager if Charleroi want him, per Ade Emmanuel [owngoalnigeria.com]
Now, why won’t the Belgians want him with the player doing what he knows best and with a wheeling consistency.
Since the beginning of the season, the forward has played every match for Charleroi in a two-man attack line; making 5 starts.
He has scored a total of 6 league goals; the best start by any Nigerian in any of Europe’s major leagues this season.
His latest came in a 2-1 defeat to Gent on Friday night at the GHELAMCO-arena. It was a 42nd minute goal that brought the teams level in the first half.
Certainly, for Osimhen he is right back on track and early enough to set out a clear path for the season; for club and country.
And even as he dreams, the youngster knows there’s work to be done if he must stay on that upward stride.
There have been calls for his inclusion in Nigeria’s squad for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa; same for FC Zurich’s Stephen Odey who scored the winner against Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League on Thursday.
And while the two may have caught the eyes of Super Eagles Technical Adviser, the calls are a little premature given the invigorating form of Odion Ighalo.
No doubt, Osimhen has found his goalscoring confidence, and barring any more injury setbacks, he could become a lethal goalscorer again.
