Chelsea and Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba has given a word of advice to Super Eagles star Victor Osimhen about his next destination after his time at Napoli comes to an end.
Osimhen, 24, is the subject of multiple interests from all around Europe. The big clubs are falling over themselves to speak to his representatives and to Napoli's president, Aurelio De Laurentiis over a possible deal for the striker in the summer.
Osimhen has scored 26 goals in 31 appearances for the club across all competitions this term.
This puts him in the category of world class players, although he had been in the discussions since he moved to LOSC Lille from RSC Charleroi in 2019.
His most recent goal came in Napoli's 1 – 1 draw with AC Milan on Tuesday in their UEFA Champions League quarter final second leg tie. The goal came late in the game when the Rossoneri were already two goals up on aggregate. It was also his first goal for the Partenopei against the Serie A giants.
The goal was one of great quality and it got social media buzzing. Teams are stepping up their efforts to land the Nigeria international in the summer, who De Laurentiis has pegged at £150 million.
Among the interested parties is Paris Saint-Germain, who have the funds to pull off the deal without much hassle. It is unknown if the former LOSC Lille striker will consider a return to France if his dream move to the Premier League does not materialise any time soon.
Drogba, however, has advised him to steer clear of the French champions when the time comes for him to move on from the Serie A club. The Chelsea legend, who also had a stint in France with Olympique de Marseille, believes that PSG will not offer Osimhen the tools he needs to keep growing.
“If he (Osimhen) is really in the sights of a club like PSG, it shows the full extent of his talent and the season he is having,” Drogba said to French media outlet Canal+.
“But PSG is not the club he needs to continue his progress.”
Along with PSG, Bayern Munich in Germany hold an interest in him. Premier League sides Manchester United and Chelsea are also interested in him, with one of both clubs being touted as his next destination.
Drogba could be said to be speaking on behalf of Chelsea, who were recently reported to have initiated direct talks with Aurelio De Laurentiis. Osimhen has confessed to being a huge fan of the striker because he grew up watching him run riot with Chelsea in the early 2000s.
Osimhen on Drogba: "When I scored 10 goals and won the Golden Boot at the U17 World Cup, one of the Nigeria staff showed me a tweet from Drogba. It said 'Congratulations Victor. I wish you all the best for the future.' I was shocked. I never believed someone like Drogba would… pic.twitter.com/Rj7FDbZsNJ
— Vince™ (@Blue_Footy) April 11, 2023
Chelsea looks to be his preferred destination but with the club's current transfer activity, it is unknown if they will take the risk of spending £150 million on another asset.
PSG, on the other hand, are a club who are always in the transfer news for trending players. The Osimhen case may just be one of those in the end.
This article was most recently revised and updated 2 years ago
