“An athlete on loan to football” – Ex-Italian SD claims Osimhen is at Mbappe, Haaland’s level

The football executive is convinced that the Nigerian international is more than just a mere footballer

Former Catania sporting director Enrico Fedele believes that Napoli’s Victor Osimhen is among the two best strikers in the world.

Osimhen has been the standout performer in the Italian Serie A this season, with the Nigerian forward named the January player of the month award winner.

The Super Eagles striker has scored 20 goals in 24 games for Napoli, with ten of those coming in his last nine appearances.

Fedele insists he is not surprised by the astounding displays Osimhen is consistently churning out, as he always knew the youngster was a footballer with top athlete qualities.

The former Caserta and Salerno football director admits that Osimhen still has room for improvement. Still, the football executive maintains that the 24-year-old is already at par with PSG’s Kylian Mbappe and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.

“The first year I saw him, I said he was an athlete on loan to football,” Fedele told TMW Radio, as per Tutto Napoli.

“He had to train to become a footballer. Spalletti made an assistant available to him, and after being a mad horse, he has now improved. He can still grow. Today he is between Mbappé and Haaland, close to these tops.”

Osimhen has scored ten goals in 2023 alone, including a brace in Napoli’s 5-1 demolition of Juventus in mid-January.

By contrast, Mbappe has scored eight goals this year, five of which were against lowly Pays de Cassel in the Coupe de France, while Haaland has only managed five goals across January and February.

Osimhen has been tipped to win the CAF Footballer of the Year award following his excellent displays.