Napoli striker Victor Osimhen is in line for a return to action in the coming weeks but the player has returned to Italy.
After picking up an injury while on international duty with the Super Eagles of Nigeria, the striker travelled to Naples to get assessed, then returned to his homeland for personal reasons.
He spent the last two weeks in Lagos and has now returned to Naples to continue his recovery.
Osimhen is expected at the Diego Maradona Stadium when Napoli host Union Berlin in the UEFA Champions League on 8 November 2023, with a return to the pitch at the end of the month.
Osimhen torna a Napoli: mercoledì sarà al Maradona per sostenere i compagni in Champions https://t.co/yJ7ZpXF0an
— TuttoNapoli.net (@tuttonapoli) November 6, 2023
Family troubles resolved, Osimhen to return to Naples on Wednesday
Italian daily Il Mattino quotes a source close to Victor Osimhen in reporting the striker's return to Italy.
“He resolved his personal issues in Lagos and announced his return for the day after tomorrow (Wednesday),” the report reads. “[He] will have to repeat the tests in the clinic with the medical staff and understand the extent of the muscular problem.
“The objective is to return to Madrid for the match against [Carlo] Ancelotti's Real Madrid on 29 November.”
The 24-year-old striker is believed to have returned to Lagos on account of an incident involving his sister and brother-in-law.
Now that all is settled, he will focus on his recovery as stated by Il Mattino.
The report also rules out the notion that Osimhen could return earlier than expected as 29 November is after the November international break.
This means that Nigeria national football team manager José Peseiro can rule the player out of his plans for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
Victor Osimhen is the first Nigerian player to EVER make the top 10 of the Ballon d'Or rankings 🇳🇬❤️ pic.twitter.com/dAAFT3oSk3
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 1, 2023
He will be ably replaced in the squad, however, Taiwo Awoniyi is back to full fitness and Victor Boniface is enjoying a good run as Bayer 04 Leverkusen's main man.
Akor Adams is also due for his first call-up and KAA Gent striker Gift Orban looks set for a return to the national team following the row between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Togo Football Association over his nationality.
The squad list is expected to be released in the coming days and Goalball Live will bring the reactions and news surrounding the three-time Africa Cup of Nations winners in their bid to qualify for their seventh World Cup.
Manchester United reportedly interested in Osimhen
Meanwhile, Fichajes, a transfer news website, has claimed that Victor Osimhen is a dream signing for Erik ten Hag ahead of the upcoming winter transfer window.
The Red Devils have made no secret about their need for a new striker to share the goals with Rasmus Højlund. They have also lined up some options to attack in the transfer market come January.
Osimhen being one of them only came up recently, with Fichajes claiming that Ten Hag prefers the AFCON 2023 qualifiers top scorer over other options lined up by the club.
They will have to do battle with Liverpool and Chelsea, however, with Arsenal also believed to be monitoring the situation.
🚨 Chelsea are understood to be “increasing pressure” on Napoli with more frequent approaches over the potential transfer of Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen.
~ @caughtoffside pic.twitter.com/hfdHnvLgrh
— Vince™ (@Blue_Footy) November 5, 2023
Napoli are not intending to let him go in January and will demand £140 million or more in the summer if they do not find a solution to their pending contract talks with him.
This article was most recently revised and updated 10 months ago
