Osimhen and the Bundesliga: the story of an unborn love

An error. Shared and serious. Destiny will bring Victor Osimhen back to Germany for the round of 16 match between his Napoli and Eintracht Frankfurt. The Nigerian striker has bet a lot on the Bundesliga, however remaining disappointed and burned. There Osimhen failed, being discharged after 16 games overall for Wolfsburg, in which he failed to score a single goal.

History

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It was January 1, 2017 when the Volkswagen-controlled club announced the purchase of Osimhen. The Nigerian striker managed to leave the slum in the Lagos metropolis where he had grown up thanks to football. He took his first steps as a footballer in the Ultimate Strikers Academy, from there the leap into the Nigerian Under 17 national team with which, at the 2015 World Cup in Chile, he became top scorer (he scored more than double the goals of anyone else). He was noticed by various European clubs, but, as he himself said on the day of his presentation in Wolfsburg, he chose the German championship: “Arsenal, Inter and Fiorentina wanted me – he said -. But in Germany I think there is more space for young players. So I think I can grow more. Wolfsburg is the right place to start my career.” Evaluation mistake. In reality, bad luck also set in: Osimhen underwent meniscus surgery, had to stay out for several months and, once back, stopped due to malaria.

Bewildered

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However, Osimhen’s difficulties were not only physical, but also emotional. “When I arrived in Wolfsburg everything was different – the Napoli striker says -. The food, the way people interact, the language, the climate. Furthermore, my father and my brothers immediately returned to Nigeria. When I returned home I was I just felt isolated.” In fact, in 18 months he trained very little with the team, which in the meantime risked relegation. Wolfsburg’s forward hope turned into a big misunderstanding. After less than two years, the separation, initially only momentary: in fact, he was sent on loan to Charleroi, in Belgium, but, at the end of the season, Wolfsburg decided not to bet on him anymore. This too can be explained: in Belgium Osimhen did well (20 goals in 36 games), but before moving to Charleroi, he was rejected by Bruges and Zulte Waregem who, at the time of the medical tests, weren’t convinced. “The love and trust I felt in Charleroi helped me a lot – Osimhen said -. I found that warmth I was missing”. A few kilometers from Charleroi, which at the end of the season redeemed him for just 3.5 million, Luis Campos, sporting director of Lille, noticed him. The Portuguese had already noticed Osimhen years earlier, and decided to bet on him: “I already wanted to sign him in 2015 for Monaco, but I didn’t succeed – said Campos -. I am convinced that he will become one of the best in the world”. He used the money collected for the sale of Nicolas Pepé to Arsenal to invest in Osimhen. “Campos has been important in my life- admits Osimhen-. We have an excellent relationship, he motivated me to become the player I am”. Only a couple of days passed from the purchase of Charleroi to that of Lille. In France his career began to take off, until his transfer to Napoli which made him the striker that Wolfsburg initially thought he could become.

Culture

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In Germany, among other things, they are very good at throwing young players. It is no coincidence that for years the Bundesliga has been the league from which Premier League clubs draw the most. Even with Africans, German clubs have often shown that they have intuition: Mané, now at Bayern, exploded at Salzburg (controlled by Red Bull, has the same philosophy as many German clubs), Jay Jay Okocha landed in Frankfurt at just 20 , it was Saarbruecken who brought Anthony Yeboah to Europe, Bayern took Sammy Kuffour who was still a minor. The error on a talent like Osimhen is unusual. And with the round of 16 of the Champions League, regret can become topical again.