Victor Osimhen received advice from his idol, Didier Drogba, cautioning him against moving to Paris Saint-Germain if he aims to continue improving as a player.
The Napoli forward has emerged as one of the most sought-after strikers in world football following his impressive record of 26 goals in 31 appearances across all competitions.
Several top clubs including Manchester United, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and PSG have been linked with a potential summer transfer, with the player being valued at over £100m.
Drogba, who has taken on a mentoring role for Osimhen, believes that the 24-year-old should not pursue a move to Paris.
“If he is really in the sights of a club like PSG, it shows the full extent of his talent and the season he is having,” commented the Chelsea legend during an interview with Canal+. “But, PSG is not the club he needs to continue his progress.”
Drogba established contact with Osimhen after witnessing his standout performance at the Under-17 World Cup in 2015 and has been providing guidance ever since.
In an earlier interview with Mail Sport, Osimhen expressed his admiration for Drogba, stating, “I have always supported Drogba and I have huge love and admiration for him. I remember when he scored the equaliser in the 2012 Champions League Final, an amazing header, and the way I celebrated was as though I had scored the goal. My friends knew I was obsessed with Drogba.”
He continued, “When I scored 10 goals and won the Golden Boot at the Under-17 World Cup in 2015, one of the Nigeria staff showed me a tweet from Drogba. It said ‘Congratulations Victor. I wish you all the best for the future.’ I was shocked. I never believed someone like Didier Drogba would tweet those words to a young aspiring striker. It gave me a whole new motivation to succeed.”
Osimhen added, “Trust me, he has been so helpful. One morning last year I woke up and checked my Instagram, and found messages to me from him, complimenting me, but saying I still had a long way to go. It’s amazing to be in contact with him. I try to model my game on his and there are a lot of things I can take from his game and add to my own, so there is nothing better for a young player. He’s a hero in his country, he’s played to the highest level, won a lot and made African youngsters dream. He’s a busy man but whenever he sees my messages on Instagram he replies immediately. It’s a great feeling.”
