Duro Ikhazuagbe
Victor Osimhen’s departure from Napoli this summer is gathering momentum. Reports in Belgium this week have it that the Italian Serie A leaders who are on the verge of winning their first Scudetto in 33 years, may have caved in to requests to lure the Nigerian international away from Naples.
Osimhen who is top scorer in the Italian topflight on 21 goals from 23 league games is on the radar of both Manchester United and Chelsea even as there are also interests from Arsenal.
But yesterday, Belgian news outlet, Nieuwsblad, reported that Napoli are considering signing the Union Saint-Gilloise Nigerian striker, Victor Boniface, as a possible replacement for Osimhen.
Interestingly, both Osimhen and the 22-year-old Boniface share same traits and attacking style.
Boniface who joined the Belgian team just last summer from Bodo/Glimt in a transfer deal worth about €2million, hit the ground running with explosive fireworks for Union Saint-Gilloise. He has now scored 19 goals with eight assists in 43 appearances for Saint-Gilloise in all competitions in this 2022/23 season.
With the two Premier League teams believed to be studying the $150million transfer tag on Osimhen, Napoli too have been reported to be considering Boniface as Plan B should their prized asset leaves for England in the summer transfer window.
Boniface with potential to become another Nigerian hit in Italy should the deal pull through, will be another jackpot for the Naples club.
Saint-Gilloise values the former Bodø/Glimt forward at around €10million.
The ex-Real Sapphire youth player has been outstanding and is the joint second joint scorer in this season’s UEFA Europa League with five goals, one goal behind Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford.
