Former Arsenal and Real Madrid star urges CAF to award Chelsea target ‘African Balon D’Or’

Osimhen has had a spectacular year, and he is one of the favourites to claim Africa’s crown 

Former Arsenal and Real Madrid striker Emmanuel Adebayor has stated that his favourite for the CAF Player of the Year Award is Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen, Soccernet reports.

Osimhen has had a spectacular year. The Nigerian striker has grown to become one of the most lethal forces in world football. In fact, he is the third-joint most expensive player in the world.

Last season, he helped Napoli win the Serie A after a 33-year wait, scoring 26 goals in the process. As further proof of his brilliance, the 24-year-old striker broke Samuel Eto’o and George Weah’s Serie A scoring records. Ultimately, the former Lille man became the first African recipient of the Capocannoniere.

In the Champions League, Osimhen scored five goals as Napoli reached their first-ever quarterfinals. He has also delivered the goods for the Super Eagles consistently.

Following his eye-catching displays, the Nigerian striker has been linked with a move away from Naples, but a transfer is unlikely to happen this summer as Napoli want to tie him down with a new deal.

Osimhen’s consistent brilliance has placed him among the favourites for the next CAF Player of the Year Award.

He was one of the best African players last year, and many believe he deserves to wear the crown after his heroics for Napoli. Ex-Togo international Emmanuel Adebayor is one of those who share the same sentiment.

“It is simple to decide who the award should go to because we saw last season”, Adebayor told Mimi Fawaz.

“I’ve not been following all the matches, but I’ve been watching TV once in a while.

“Osimhen deserves the African Balon D’Or because of what he has done in Napoli. He scored in all the biggest games, and he won the Scudetto. What he did is not easy; he has done quite well.

“Sadio Mane was injured last season, and Mo Salah had one of the worst seasons in his career. Zambo Anguissa is also at Napoli, but Osimhen is the star player there. If I have ten votes, I will give 12 votes to Osimhen”, Adebayor added.

Asides from Osimhen, the other favourites for the award are Riyad Mahrez, who won the treble with Manchester City last season, and Yassine Bounou, who won the Europa League with Sevilla and helped Morocco finish fourth at the 2022 World Cup.