Thomaz Oseghale
Barcelona and Arsenal legend, Thierry Henry, has encouraged Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, to improve his consistency in scoring while cautioning him against joining Arsenal if he decides to move to the English Premier League.
Henry made these remarks following Osimhen’s goal against Barcelona in the Champions League last-16 first-leg clash, which helped Napoli stay in the tie.
Osimhen found the back of the net with his only attempt on goal, equalizing for Napoli 15 minutes after Robert Lewandowski had opened the scoring.
This goal marked his first in as many games since returning to Napoli after representing Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations in December.
It also brought his tally to six goals in six Champions League matches for Napoli at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium, placing him behind Erling Haaland (12) and Kylian Mbappe (nine) for recent home goals scored in the competition over the past two seasons.
Furthermore, Osimhen’s goal against Barcelona allowed him to join Napoli captain, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, and Lorenzo Insigne in the list of top goalscorers for the club in the Champions League. He currently sits just behind Dries Mertens, who has netted 11 goals in Europe’s premier club competition.
Speaking on the UEFA Champions League show with CBS Sports Golazo, Henry, who is also the French U-21 coach, challenged Osimhen to prove himself in leagues outside of Serie A, where he has already won the Scudetto and the Capocannoniere.
Henry acknowledged Osimhen’s abilities as a striker, highlighting his ability to lead the line, make runs into the channels, and exhibit excellent hold-up play.
While discussing Osimhen’s potential, Henry emphasized the need for him to showcase his talent in other European leagues.
Although the 25-year-old has been linked with moves to Chelsea and PSG, Henry advised against a switch to Arsenal.
As a former player for the Gunners, Henry expressed his preference to see Osimhen take the next step in his career and be more consistent in his performances.
Henry concluded by acknowledging Osimhen’s historic achievement of winning the Scudetto with Napoli, stating that it will forever be remembered in football history.
He wished Osimhen the best in his career and urged him to continue striving for success.
