Osimhen set to return to Napoli’s starting XI against Simy’s Crotone

VICTOR Osimhen is in line to make his first start in four matches for Napoli when they face Crotone in Serie A on Saturday.

The Nigeria international has come off the bench in Napoli’s last three match since returning from a head injury against Atalanta on 21 February.

He was a second-half substitute in each of Napoli’s three straight wins against Bologna, AC Milan and Roma, scoring in the first game of that sequence.

Osimhen was however on from the start in the Super Eagles’ two wins over Benin  Republic and Lesotho in the last international window, assisting in the first and scoring in the second as Nigeria qualified for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

He returned to Italy on Wednesday, the day after the Lesotho match in Lagos, and was pictured in training on Thursday.

According to Radio Kiss Kiss in Italy, the 22-year-old will start the game against Crotone in place of Dries Mertens, who got injured while playing for Belgium during the international break.

Osimhen will come up against his compatriot Simeon ‘Simy’ Nwankwo who is Crotone’s top scorer this season.

While Osimhen has scored three goals in 13 Serie A appearances this term, Simy has been much more prolific, scoring 13 goals in 28 matches for struggling Crotone.

Admittedly, Osimhen’s first season in Italy has been disrupted by injuries and illness, having broken his shoulder, injured his head and tested positive for Covid-19.