Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen has been given the all-clear by the medical team of Italian club giants Napoli after making a full recovery from COVID-19.
The 22-year old had tested positive for the virus after he returning from Nigeria where he had celebrated the yuletide.
His clean bill of health was disclosed via the official Twitter account of Napoli on Friday night which read.
However. it is not yet clear if the 22-year -old attacker will be available for selection when the Parthenopeans take on Hellas Verona in a Serie A game on Sunday.
The center-forward joined the Napoli side for a club-record fee of €70 million potentially rising to €80 million with add-ons, making him the most expensive African transfer to date.[
Super Eagles striker celebrates his debut Seria A goal with Napoli on October 17, 2020. Credit: @IntChampionsCup
Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen, on Saturday scored his first goal in Serie A as a Napoli player.
The striker scored his debut goal with a finish against Atalanta in the 43rd minute.
After scoring, Osimhen held up a shirt with the inscription “End Police Brutality in Nigeria”.
After scoring his first goal for Napoli, Victor Osimhen holds up a shirt saying “End Police Brutality” ✊
In his home country of Nigeria, #EndSARS is a movement calling for banning of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a controversial division known for police oppression pic.twitter.com/LBxnncVVib
— International Champions Cup (@IntChampionsCup) October 17, 2020
He has previously shown his support for the #EndSARS protesters in Nigeria.
On October 12, the striker took to Twitter saying the power of the people outweighs those in government.
“The power of the people is always stronger than the people in power. remember DAT #ReformNigeriaPolice,” he tweeted.
The power of the people is always stronger than the people in power.remember DAT #ReformNigeriaPolice
Two days earlier, he also called for an end to police brutality in the country, insisting that the human rights abuses by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) must end.
Osimhen’s move to the Gli Azzurri trumps the prize Arsenal paid for Ivory Coast forward, Nicolas Pepe last year.
Last term, the former Charleroi (from where he moved to France) man scored 18 goals in all games for Lille and has been linked with a move to Naples in recent times.
His stellar showing for the French side saw him winning the Lille Player of the Season just as he made it to Ligue 1’s team for the 2019/2020 campaign.
Victor Osimhen of Napoli scores against the Italian second division side, Teramo on September 4, 2020.
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen on Friday scored his second hat-trick for Napoli after two pre-season games.
Osimhen’s hat-trick was pivotal for Napoli’s preseason victory over Italian second division side, Teramo.
He scored in the fourth, 61st, and 65th minute, taking his tally to six for Napoli.
Mexican Hirving Lozano scored in the 14th minute to add to Napoli’s rout of the lower division side.
Osimhen signed for Napoli after the Serie A side splashed out a club-record fee of up to 80 million euros ($94.6 million) to entice him from French outfit Lille.
He is expected to light up the Serie A when the season begins on September 19.
Napoli will kick off its season in an away match against Parma on September 20 as the club seeks to return to the Champions League.
His French Ligue 1 team also commiserated with the 2015 U-17 World Cup winner over the incident, assuring him of the club’s support in this “difficult time.”
“Today we learned with great sadness of the passing of @victorosimhen9 ‘s father,” the French side tweeted.
“The entire LOSC family is joined in grief with Victor and his family. He has our full support during this difficult time.”
Mr Patrick who hails from Esan South East Local Government area of Edo State died after sickness and has been on admission to a hospital for the past two weeks.
Osimhen’s mother had passed on in October 2011 and the player is the last child of the family with seven children.
The former Wolfsburg player has had an impressive debut season with The Mastiffs after netting 18 goals in 38 matches since joining them last summer from the Belgian side, Sporting Charleroi.
He has scored 13 goals in the French Ligue one as Christophe Galtier’s team ended fourth on the log. In September 2019, he won the French Ligue 1 Player of the Month gong for his sterling showings.
Osimhen won bronze with Nigeria at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt, featuring only in the side’s third-place play-off against Tunisia.
A picture combination of Victor Osimhen (right) of Lille and Sadio Mane of Liverpool
Reigning African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mane scored the goal that brought Liverpool victory at Norwich and moved the Reds closer to a first English league title in 30 years.
The 27-year-old Senegalese came off the bench to strike on 78 minutes and break the resistance of the gallant home side in the lively top-versus-bottom clash.
Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ivorian Nicolas Pepe of Arsenal were other African scorers in the Premier League at the weekend.
ENGLAND
PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG/NICOLAS PEPE (Arsenal)
Pepe teed up Aubameyang for his 17th goal of the season with a towering header to open the floodgates in Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Newcastle. The Ivorian then found the net himself with a trademark left-foot finish and set up another goal late on for Alexandre Lacazette as the Gunners returned to winning ways after four straight draws.
SADIO MANE (Liverpool)
Mane scored the only goal in Liverpool’s 1-0 win at Norwich to continue their relentless run towards the Premier League title. He was making his comeback from a hamstring injury, but showed no signs of rustiness by controlling Jordan Henderson’s through ball with his right foot then firing home with his left.
SPAIN
JOSEPH AIDOO (Celta Vigo)
Ghanaian Aidoo found himself lined up against a stellar cast of strikers as he played on the right side of Celta Vigo’s back three at Real Madrid. Real recalled Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale but Aidoo and the defence conceded only two goals to earn a draw in Madrid and keep just above the relegation zone. Aidoo came within a finger nail of making an even bigger splash. In the final minute of the first half he outjumped the Real defence at a corner and smashed a header toward the far corner of the goal, only to be denied by a world-class save from Thibaut Courtois.
ITALY
GERVINHO (Parma)
Ivorian forward Gervinho returned for Europa League hopefuls Parma, tapping in on 25 minutes in a 1-0 victory over Sassuolo, for his fifth goal this season. The 32-year-old had been exiled from the first team and dropped for four games after trying to force a move to Al Sadd, the Qatari club coached by former Barcelona star Xavi.
GERMANY
ACHRAF HAKIMI (Borussia Dortmund)
The Morocco wing-back again proved why he is one of Dortmund’s most potent forces going forward with two assists in a 4-0 drubbing of Eintracht Frankfurt. The 21-year-old, on loan from Real Madrid, spotted captain Lukasz Piszczek free on the edge of the area to give Dortmund a first-half lead. Hakimi then claimed his ninth league assist this season just after the break, getting in behind the defence to square for Norwegian teenager Erling Braut Haaland to score his ninth goal in six games.
JAMILU COLLINS (Paderborn)
The Nigeria defender failed to stop bottom side Paderborn losing 2-1 at home to Hertha Berlin after deflecting a shot by Brazilian striker Matheus Cunha into the net. At 1-1 in the second half, Collins was on the goalline when Cunha hit a shot with the side of his foot, which cannoned off the defender.
FRANCE
VICTOR OSIMHEN (LILLE)
Nigerian international Osimhen gave Lille a 51st-minute lead against second-placed Marseille, pouncing onto Jonathan Bamba’s pass to beat goalkeeper Steve Mandanda for his 13th goal of the season, the same number as PSG’s Brazilian superstar Neymar. However, their Champions League rivals hit back with two goals in two second-half minutes to earn the three points.
Moroccon defender Achraf Hakimi (L) is presented with the Youth Player of the Year award during the 2019 CAF Awards in the Egyptian resort town of Hurghada on January 7, 2020. Khaled DESOUKI / AFP
Morocco and Borussia Dortmund defender, Achraf Hakimi, has been crowned as the African Youth Player Of The Year.
The 21-year-old beat Nigerian duo of Victor Osimhen (Lille) and Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal) to emerge the winner on Tuesday at the 2019 CAF Awards ceremony in Egypt.
The 27-year old beat his Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah of Egypt who won the award the last two years, as well as Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City).
Celebrating his success at the event, he said, “I am really happy and at the same time I am really proud to win this award. It’s a big day for me.”
Mane scored 34 goals and produced 12 assists in 61 appearances in 2019, according to CAF statistics.
Oshoala, who plays for Spanish side Barcelona, beat Ajara Nchout of Cameroon and South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana, who was crowned in Senegal last year to claim the title.
It is the fourth time the 25-year-old is being crowned the best African female footballer.
She won the award in 2014, 2016 and 2017, and was also among the final three in 2018 but lost to her South African rival Kgatlana.
Shortly after she was announced as the winner, Oshoala took to Twitter to thank her family and friends, as well as her fans and colleagues locally and internationally for their support.
Grateful to be African Women’s Player of the year for the 4th time. Thank God, my Family, Friends and Fans for the support. Big shoutout to my club , my management , team mates at both national team and club level and of course thanks to @CAF_Online for the opportunity ❤️❤️🙏🏾
Other male awards were claimed by Algerian coach Djamel Belmadi, Algerian Youcef Belaili for African Interclubs Player of the Year and Algeria’s national team.
The female awardees were South African coach Desiree Ellis, and Cameroon’s women national team.
The Egyptian Football Association won the Federation of the Year award.
Nigerian football players Asisat Oshoala, Victor Osimhen, and Samuel Chukwueze are in the shortlist for honours at the 2019 CAF Awards ceremony scheduled for the Albatros Citadel Sahl Hasheesh, Hurghada, Egypt on Tuesday.
Winner of the women’s award in 2014, 2016 and 2017, and also among the final three in 2018, Super Falcons’ captain Asisat Oshoala is highly favoured for a fourth African Woman Player of the Year crown, which will equal the feat of fellow Nigerian, Perpetual Nkwocha.
The other contenders are Ajara Nchout from Cameroon and South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana, who was crowned in Dakar, Senegal 12 months ago.
Super Eagles’ youngsters Samuel Chukwueze and Victor Osimhen are in the running for the Young Player of the Year award, with Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons is primed for the award of the Women’s National Team of the Year, having successfully retained their continental crown in Ghana in December 2018 and reached the knockout stage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France last year summer.
Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses and Banyana Banyana of South Africa are the other contenders
Former Super Falcons’ coach, Thomas Dennerby is also listed for the Women’s Coach of the Year for his work with the Super Falcons.
He will battle South Africa’s Desire Ellis and Cameroon’s Alain Djeumfa.
The final phase of voting for the men’s and women’s African Player of the Year, as well as the male and female Coach of the Year, will be selected by Head Coaches/Technical Directors and Captains of senior national teams from CAF Member Associations.
Meanwhile, the Inter-Clubs Player of the Year will be decided by the Head Coaches and Captains of the group phase of the current season of CAF Inter-Clubs competitions.
See the top three contenders for all the categories below:
African Player of the Year
Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Manchester City)
Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)
African Women’s Player of the Year
Ajara Nchout (Cameroon & Valerenga)
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona)
Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Beijing Phoenix FC)
African Interclubs Player of the Year
Anice Badri (Tunisia & Esperance)
Tarek Hamed (Egypt & Zamalek)
Youcef Belaïli (Algeria & Esperance / Ahli Jeddah)
Asisat Oshoala has made the top three lists of contenders for the 2019 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Women’s Player of the Year award.
For the African Youth Player of the Year category, Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze made the cut, having to slug it out with Achraf Hakimi of Morocco.
The list which was published on CAF’s website was trimmed down by votes from a CAF Technical & Development Committee and a panel of media experts with an emphasis on the nominees’ performance during the year under review, 2019.
The trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Riyad Mahrez who ply their trade in the English Premier League, made the list for African Player of the Year category.
The ceremony is billed for January 7, 2020, at the Albatros Citadel Sahl Hasheesh, Hurghada, in Egypt.
See the full list below:
African Player of the Year
Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Manchester City)
Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)
African Women’s Player of the Year
Ajara Nchout (Cameroon & Valerenga)
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona)
Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Beijing Phoenix FC)
African Interclubs Player of the Year
Anice Badri (Tunisia & Esperance)
Tarek Hamed (Egypt & Zamalek)
Youcef Belaïli (Algeria & Esperance / Ahli Jeddah)
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has nominated Nigeria’s Odion Ighalo, Victor Osimhen and Wilfred Ndidi for the 2019 CAF Men Footballer of the Year.
The three players were shortlisted alongside Mohammed Salah of Egypt and 26 others.
The 28th edition of the annual football awards will hold on January 7, 2020, in Egypt.
In the women’s category, Asisat Oshoala is shortlisted alongside Uchenna Kanu, Chiamaka Nnadozie and seven others.
Samuel Chukwueze and Osimhen also made the list of Youth Player of the Year category, fighting it out with 14 others including Moussa Ndiaye of Senegal.
The list of nominees is compiled by a panel of media and technical professionals.
Awaziem’s own goal on the 90th minute reduced the deficit for Lesotho, but the win was enough to secure a second win for the super Eagles who beat the Republic of Benin 2-1 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Wednesday.
Nigeria will play Sierra Leone next year having six points and top group L.
The three-time African champions are aiming for their 19th appearance in the tournament, after winning their eighth bronze medal in the 2019 edition in Egypt.
Lille forward Victor Osimhen has emerged French Ligue 1 player for the month of September 2019.
The Super Eagles striker claimed 45% of total votes to emerge tops ahead of Monaco’s Islam Slimani (37%) second and Nantes’ Nicolas Pallois (18%) on third spot.
The former Golden Eaglets ace will now takes over from Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga who claimed the award in August.
The 20-year-old scored two goals in four league appearances for Lille in September.
He was on target in Lille’s 2-1 win against Angers SCO and the 2-0 victory at home to Strasbourg.
Osimhen took to twitter to express his gratitude after the big announcement, he said: “Player of the month of September. Major thanks to those who voted for me, I appreciate each and every one you, special gratitude go to my family, teammates and my loved ones. GOD is the greatest. We move.”
Player of the month of September💪🏽major thanks to those who voted for me,I appreciate each and everyone you,special gratitude goes to my family,teammates and my loved ones🤞🏽GOD is the greatest 🙏🏽we move✊🏽 @losclive… https://t.co/EVM5yn7fs0
