Luis Ocampos, the Sporting Director of French Ligue 1 side Lille has revealed the process it took the club to sign Nigeria international striker Victor Osimhen who has taken to life in the French Ligue 1 quicker than many anticipated.
Osimhen has scored eight goals in all competitions this season with two assists from just ten games following his signing in the summer from Belgium side Charleroi, where he spent last season before completing a permanent transfer at the end of last season.
He finished the season with over 20 goals but according to Ocampos he has been tracking the Nigerian since his exploits at the FIFA U17 World Youth Championship in 2015 but his club couldn’t afford him due to what his nursery club demanded, which he considered two expensive for a 17 year old.
Ocampos however got lucky last season when he finally land Osimhen and with Lille now firmly established as a stepping stone for most players to make big money moves, Ocampos is certain that Osimhen will no doubt leave the club soonest and even suggested it could be for a fee higher than that of Nicolas Pepe.
“I went to Lagos to see the U17 World Championships. After one match I wanted him. But his price was very expensive for a 17-year-old. I spoke to my CEO. I called him every night saying, ‘Please give me this player, he is amazing. In two years he will be one of the best in Europe,”Ocampos told Skysports.
“In the end the player went to Wolfsburg. I went to Wolfsburg just to see him play. Sometimes he only played for five minutes, sometimes only two. I was crazy for him! Then he had a virus and had five or six months not playing and went to Charleroi in Belgium. Two months later I signed him. So itʼs a nice story. I lost the player but then got him back.
“If all is normal at the end of the season there will be a big move for him because he’s like a cat. You know, if you have a cat and give it a ball! Heʼs unbelievable. In the last 20 metres he attacks every ball. Every ball. Like a cat.”
