According to Jose Mourinho, Victor Osimhen is “on the same level as Didier Dogba,” but if he wants a transfer to the Premier League, he must quit diving.
The promising 24-year-old scored a magnificent goal in Napoli’s 2-1 triumph over the Giallorossi during their most recent Serie A match, giving the current Roma manager another good look at the Nigerian international Victor Osimhen.
Osimhen has scored in 15 of his 20 appearances this season, sparking interest from teams like Manchester United. Former Red Devils manager Mourinho, who worked splendidly well with Ivorian forward Didier Drogba at Chelsea, has given advice to the highly sought-after prospect on how to succeed outside of Italy.
Mourinho told reporters when asked for his take on Osimhen: “He is of the same level as Drogba, but Didier didn’t dive. If Victor changes, then OK. I’d buy him if I was at a club with a lot of money. However, if he does go to England one day, he needs to change, because in Italy they put up with this sort of behaviour, whereas in the Premier League, they’d come down hard on him.”
Mourinho added on what he said to Osimhen after a meeting in Naples: “I told him that he scored a wonderful goal and needs to stop diving so much. His goal was fantastic, he did the same thing when we met earlier this season, so he’s a fantastic player. But he mustn’t dive.”
Osimhen is contracted to Napoli through 2025, therefore the Italian club is not under any pressure to sell, but as the value of the African superstar continues to soar, Napoli’s determination may be put to the test during forthcoming transfer windows.
In 16 Serie A games played this season, Osimhen has already equalled his best tally of goals scored in a single campaign in the Big-5 European Leagues: 14 (as in the 2021/22 season, but in 27 appearances).
There is a lot of conjecture that Manchester United may look to Osimhen as a long-term option to lead the line at Old Trafford when they are in the market for another No. 9 in the summer of 2023 after signing Wout Weghorst on a temporary loan move in the January transfer window.