By Korede James
Former Southampton and Portugal defender Jose Fonte has said Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen will be a handful for English Premier League defenders.
Osimhen is on a season-long loan at Turkish club Galatasaray from Napoli, the 2023 CAF Player of the Year registering 17 goals and five assists in 22 appearances in all competitions.
The 26-year-old Nigeria international was heavily linked with a move to the Premier League with Chelsea reportedly named as one of the clubs interested in him.
Fonte slammed Chelsea over their failure to land the player he believes is the next Didier Drogba in the January window.
“Chelsea are crying out for a striker like Victor Osimhen,” the Euro 2016 winner with Portugal told BoyleSports.
“Look at Chelsea and all the greats they have had up front. As a striker he could be another Didier Drogba for them, he is a winner.
“They have a different style of play and Drogba is a legend, but he has pace, power and technical quality. He wins his duels and is such a handful for defenders.
“When I saw Victor Osimhen go to Galatasaray, I thought it was foolish that no Premier League club had signed him.
“Once Osimhen gets into the Premier League I think he will bully defenders, he is aggressive, fast, clever and powerful.
“I played against him in the Champions League and I’m sure he took it easy on me as a friend at almost 40, but it was still a nightmare.
“He’s a player that has been a hardworking kid, that came from nothing, as a grafter, and all the success that he’s having, he deserves it.”
Fonte added that he cannot wait to see Osimhen in the Premier League because he is the kind of player everyone want to see go up against the very best.
“You want to see him in the Premier League week in and week out and we will see that this is where he belongs.”
