“Diamond in the rough” – Ex-Juventus and Milan stars reveal what they like about Victor Osimhen

The Napoli ace has been the match-winner for his side in their last two league games as the Neapolitans keep up the chase for a historic Scudetto

Former Juventus midfielder Emanuele Giaccherini and ex-Inter Milan star Giampaolo Pazzini have revealed their admiration for Napoli goal-king Victor Osimhen.

Osimhen has been lapping up all the praises in Italy after a couple of match-winning performances for title-chasing Napoli.

The Nigerian forward got both goals as Il Partenopei muscled past Verona 2-1 last weekend.

And the 23-year-old followed it up with another excellent double against Udinese to help Luciano Spalletti’s men turn a 1-0 deficit to a 2-1 win at the Diego Maradona Stadium on Saturday.

His four recent goals have earned Napoli six points, ensuring the Neapolitans stay just three points behind leaders AC Milan.

Former Milan and Inter striker Pazzini believes Osimhen is a force of nature that constantly gets Napoli out of trouble.

“He (Osimhen) took the team by the hand and got rid of the setback,” Pazzini told DAZN, as per Tutto Napoli.

“He is a diamond in the rough, having impressive physical and technical qualities. The beauty is that he has a very, very large room for improvement, but he is a strong player.”

Also impressed with the excellent output of Osimhen, veteran attacking midfielder Giaccherini agrees that Africa’s most expensive signing is the most decisive player in the Italian Serie A.

The former Italian international insists Napoli would be several points clear at the top of the log if Osimhen had not missed a large chunk of the campaign to injury.

“Osimhen is in the first place (of Serie A’s most influential strikers); he is decisive,” Giaccherini said of the Super Eagles striker.

“He missed a lot at Napoli; if he had always been there, they would be first. I don’t know the margin, but they would have a few more points.”

Unfortunately, Osimhen will not be in action when Napoli next take to the pitch away to Atalanta. The ex-Wolfsburg striker received his fifth yellow card of the season in the closing stages of Saturday’s encounter and will serve a one-match suspension.

Osimhen’s immediate concerns, however, will be to help Nigeria qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with the first leg of the playoffs against Ghana coming up on Friday.