Osimhen returns to the training pitch but will Super Eagle make Atalanta trip?

Osimhen returns to the training pitch but will Super Eagle make Atalanta trip?
Credit: Icon Sport

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen has returned to training on Wednesday as his team prepares towards the trip to Bergamo this weekend.

The 24-year-old picked up a hamstring injury while on international duty for Nigeria last month and has missed Napoli's last six games due to the setback.

Osimhen took part in the team’s training on Wednesday as he looks to get full recovery back to fitness and return to action for the Partenopei.

As directed by the club's new coach, Walter Mazzarri, Osimhen worked with his Napoli teammates for the initial part of the team's training session before he departed to get involved in personalised training in the gym.

Victor Osimhen I'm action for Napoli
Credit: Icon Sport

The Serie A Best Striker hopes to make Napoli's squad for Saturday's league clash against Atalanta at the Gewiss Stadium.

Napoli looks forward to full recovery of Osimhen and Zielinski

The match against Atalanta on Saturday will be a key one for coach Mazzari, who will be pleased to have all his best players available.

From Mazzari's perspective, the recovery of two key players, Osimhen and Piotr Zielinski, will be important.

The good news is that both players are expected to make the squad for Saturday's game after taking part in the team's training yesterday with their teammates.

The Polish midfielder suffered a problem while with the national team and should be closer to full recovery if there are no further complications.

However, for Osimhen, the injury to the hamstring of the right thigh does not recommend speeding up too much to avoid relapses.

For this reason, even if he makes the bench with his teammates, his use could be reduced to a second-half appearance.

Mazzari's possible formation

Coach Mazzarri will have a better overview of the team's condition on Friday as he can better evaluate those returning from the national teams.

Having said that, the formation with which Napoli will line up against Atalanta would likely be the classic 4-3-3 in which Mathías Olivera, given Mario Rui's injury, will be the left back, while Natan and Amir Rrahmani should be the two central defenders.

In midfield, if Zielinski is fully ready, he will line up alongside Stanislav Lobotka and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, while in the attacking trio should be Matteo Politano, Giacomo Raspadori and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, with Osimhen ready to take over sometime in the game.

Victor Osimhen in action for Napoli
Credit: Icon Sport

Osimhen transfer news

During the injury layoff, Osimhen transfer news to Chelsea in January was picking pace.

However, the speculations finally ended as the Blues now look forward to having Christopher Nkunku back in action in the next few weeks.

With a change in the coaching department made in Napoli, there's a possibility that the club will get back to their best in the remaining months of the season which could pave the way for Osimhen to stay beyond the summer.

But while the Osimhen Transfermarkt value is still pegged at €120 million, the club could still decide to sell their prized player in the summer transfer window if contract talks fail to go through.

At the moment, the club is focused on getting back to their best and working to defend their league title, and making a considerable push to winning the Champions League with all of the players playing their part.

This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago

Joseph is a freelance writer who spends most of his time writing engaging football contents. Based in Nigeria, Joseph is a die-hard Real Madrid fan with over 8 years experience in the sports betting space. He has covered football match previews, predictions, and news across leagues in Africa and Europe.