Former African Footballer of The Year, Victor Ikpeba has tipped red-hot Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, to win the 2023 African Footballer of The Year award.
Osimhen has been in imperious form this season and has scored 18 Serie A goals thus far to lead the way in the scoring charts.
The form of the Nigerian has unarguably made him one of the most lethal forwards in world football with clubs across Europe hoping to poach him albeit at a likely huge cost with Napoli certain to play in the UEFA Champions League as Italian champions.
Speaking on Supersport’s magazine show, Monday Night Football, Ikpeba believes that the Super Eagles star has done enough to be handed the award he (Ikpeba) won in 1997.
“Osimhen doesn’t need to win the Africa Cup of Nations to be crowned the African Footballer of The Year for 2023.
“If Napoli win the Serie A and they get to the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League like the semifinals or the final, he can be the African Footballer of The Year,” Ikpeba noted.
“Osimhen’s rivals for the award, the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane are really struggling at the moment.
“If you really look at January and February 2023, the African player that is shining the most in European football is Victor Osimhen.”
Ikpeba praised the work rate of Osimhen after the disappointment of not gracing the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
“What a year takes for not qualifying for the World Cup. He had gone back back, he has improved a lot. There’s lot of urgency in his play, determination, belief.
“He (Osimhen) is banging in the goals. I think that Victor Ikpeba is a shining light for Nigerian football.
“Ademola Lookman is also doing well in the Serie A – one of the toughest leagues in the world,” the Atlanta ’96 Olympic gold medallist said.
Osimhen is expected to lead the line on Tuesday evening as Napoli face German Bundesliga side, Eintracht Frankfurt in the round of 16, first leg fixture between both sides.