Former England international Chris Waddle has urged Newcastle United to move decisively for Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen this summer, insisting the 27-year-old is tailor-made for the Premier League, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Osimhen is once again among the most coveted forwards in European football after inspiring Galatasaray to a 26th Turkish league title while also helping the club advance into the knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions League.
Galatasaray, who signed the Nigerian for a club-record €75m last year, have reportedly placed a €100 million asking price on the striker in a bid to deter interested parties.
That has not dampened speculation, with clubs including Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Arsenal, Chelsea and Bayern Munich all said to be monitoring Osimhen’s situation.
Waddle, a former Newcastle player, believes the Magpies should lead the chase given that they have yet to adequately fill the void left by Alexander Isak, who reportedly joined Liverpool last summer.
“I like Victor Osimhen,” Waddle wrote on the BoyleSports blog. “He works very hard. I’ve watched him five or six times this year in Turkey, and I like his work ethic. He’s a player who wants to win, and he works really hard to win. He always runs hard. He’s always wanting to put himself about. I was surprised he went to Turkey. I know he gets looked after over there, but he’s better than the Turkish league.
“He’d still be a great fit for any team in the Premier League, and I’d like to get him in as the number nine for Newcastle, because he’s very consistent, very mobile, and a good technical player who’s good in the air, and his work rate’s great. If he were to become available, there would be at least five clubs trying to chase him down, let alone Newcastle.
“People say players peak at 28, 29, and 30, so he’s got plenty of time to play his best football in the Premier League. I just don’t know why he didn’t come to the Premier League the last time he was linked.”
Osimhen is already Nigeria’s highest scorer in the history of both the Italian Serie A and the Turkish Super Lig. A move to England would also put him within reach of surpassing Yakubu Aiyegbeni as Nigeria’s highest Premier League goalscorer.
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