“He is of the same level” - When Jose Mourinho claimed Victor Osimhen was on the same level as Chelsea legend
Legendary Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho once compared Blues target Victor Osimhen to Didier Drogba. The Portuguese manager spoke highly of the Partenopei forward during his time as AS Roma boss when he faced the Nigerian striker back in 2022.
Osimhen has been tipped with a move away from the 2023 Serie A champions and the west London club have emerged as potential suitors. His time in Naples has been impressive, with the Lagos-born striker bagging 76 goals and providing 18 assists in 133 games for the Neopolitans.
Speaking in a press conference (via GOAL), the iconic Portuguese boss said:
“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 concluded his observations about Victor Osimhen, saying:
“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.”
Comparisons to Drogba will come as a massive compliment to the Super Eagles star, with the former being a renowned figure in English football. Drogba bagged 164 goals and 88 assists in 381 games and remains a beloved figure in west London.
Chelsea legend keen for Victor Osimhen to join club
Blues legend John Obi-Mikel has urged the club to sign his compatriot Victor Osimhen as soon as possible. The retired midfielder believes the Nigerian striker has what it takes to make the West London club a force in the Premier League again.
Speaking about his fellow Nigerian (via GOAL), Mikel said:
"We want somebody who can finish, score goals, the tap-ins. Someone like Erling Haaland. That’s something Victor Osimhen will bring to Chelsea. I hope that Chelsea fans will finally see him come to the club. I’ll make sure I send him those texts messages and calls, making sure Chelsea is his top priority! But it seems like he loves the club and wants to come to Chelsea.
" I’m sure he has all the big clubs wanting to sign him. I think if we can secure his signature it would be fantastic for the club. He’s somebody who will get us goals and that’s something that we need right now. A fantastic guy, fantastic human being and I really do hope he comes to the club and I’ll try my best to make sure that happens."
The Nigerian legend concluded, saying:
" Didier is also speaking to him, sharing his own ideas and what the club means to us. We all want to see Victor come to the club."
The Nigerian has been rumoured to leave Napoli in this transfer window after a stint that helped the Partenopei claim their first Scudetto in three decades.