'We were quick to compare Osimhen to Van Basten' - Ex-Napoli star on the hype surrounding Nigeria striker
Published: April 22, 2024
Former Napoli striker Antonio Floro Flores has warned The Parthenopeans fans not to become too attached to some players in the Napoli squad.
The 40-year-old, who wore the Napoli shirt 67 times during his playing days, pointed out the haste with which fans and pundits likened Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Marco van Basten and Diego Maradona respectively.
Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia made pivotal contributions as Napoli won their first Serie A title in thirty-three years last season, with the center forward scoring 26 goals to win the Capocannoniere and Serie A Best Striker awards.
Napoli have failed to reach the heights of last season and there is talk of crisis within the squad following a shock 1-0 loss to strugglers Empoli on Saturday.
With their talisman Osimhen expected to move onto pastures new at the end of the season, Napoli are already planning for a summer overhaul to bolster their squad.
The reigning African Footballer of the Year has struggled to match his outstanding performances from the previous season, registering a total of fifteen goals across all competitions in the 2023-2024 campaign.
Speaking on La Domenica Azzurra on OttoChannel-channel 16, via Ottopagine, Flores stated: "It's right for the fans to go to the stadium, I don't agree with those who say we should desert.
"Napoli, at this moment, still needs the support of the fans. The shirt always counts and counts, perhaps in the future we should avoid becoming too attached to some players.
"After the scudetto we were quick to compare Kvara to Maradona and Osimhen to Van Basten... Balance is always needed."
Osimhen joined Napoli from Lille in 2020 and has a release clause set at 130 million euros in his contract with Napoli.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel
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