By Jimmy
The head coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Jose Peseiro has said he is happy that Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen decided to remain at Italian Serie A side, Napoli.
Victor Osimhen scored 26 goals and provided five assists for Napoli last season as he helped them win the Scudetto for the first time in 33 years. The 24-year-old Nigerian striker also helped the Italian side to reach the quarter-finals of the 2022-2023 UEFA Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.
Osimhen’s performance attracted the attention of top European clubs including Paris Saint Germain, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Bayern Munich. However, the clubs were forced to bow out of the transfer idea due to Napoli’s high asking price and unwillingness to negotiate a deal with the suitors.
SEE: Signing Ronaldo was a big mistake: Solskjaer reveals in Interview
Reports claimed that Napoli rejected a bid worth €100 million from PSG for Osimhen and also rejected a similar bid from a Saudi Pro League club.
It was easier for Napoli to turn down all these bids because Osimhen was not ready to push for a move away from the club, a decision coach Peseiro says he is very proud of.
“But Victor is very happy in Napoli. For his growth path, staying in Europe and showing off in the Champions League remains the best way. He is young and has time to prove his talent,” Peseiro told Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Then I understand that in the face of certain offers, one can waver. Two seasons in Arabia are worth more than ten in Europe, but money is not everything. Victor has improved a lot in Italy.”
Messi, Ronaldo absent from the Champions League
For the first time in two decades, football superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo won’t be part of the Champions League. Read more below:
READ: End of an Era? Messi, Ronaldo miss Champions League for the first time in two decades