'He's Lukaku's heir' - Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola heaps praise on Napoli striker Osimhen

Published: September 22, 2021

In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport via Napolista, Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola had some kind words for Victor Osimhen, picking the Napoli striker as Romelu Lukaku's heir.

Zola, who won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup Winners Cup during his time at Stamford Bridge, feels that Osimhen can be in the same bracket as Lukaku in the future.

The displays of the Nigeria international since the second half of last season have repaid the trust Napoli showed in him when they shelled out a club record fee of 70 million euros plus performance-related add-ons to sign him from Lille in September 2020.

In 26 outings across all competitions since the start of the calendar year, the Napoli number 9 has mustered eleven goals.

Osimhen and Lukaku battled once last season before the Belgian moved to Chelsea, but the two strikers did not find the back of the net in a 1-1 draw.

On Osimhen, Zola told the Italian sports daily : "When he arrived in Italy two years ago, I didn't know him well and I documented myself. I discovered a very good player in movement.

"With his athletic strength he can be devastating. He is Lukaku's heir. He is young and has enormous room for improvement".

On the international stage, Osimhen has impressed also, ending the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as the joint top scorer with five goals.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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