BARCELONA, REAL MADRID CHASE OSIMHEN

Victor Osimhen may follow his striking predecessor in the Super Eagles with a possible move to bigger club than the Lille he currently features for.

At the weekend, Odion Ighalo who was succeeded in the Super Eagles centre forward position by Osimhen, made what is easily the biggest transfer move by a Nigerian player in the recent time as he moved from China to Manchester United.

A similar move seems in the offing for Osimhen as La Liga giants, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are reportedly after him.

Both clubs are reportedly to be in talks with French outfit Lille OSC as they consider a move for Nigeria international  at the end of the season.

The 21-year-old has been one of the standout players in Lique 1 and in UEFA Champions League for his club although they failed to reach the knockout phase and scored  15 goals and picking up five assists across all competitions.

Osimhen, who was part of bronze wining Super Eagles has established himself as one of the most exciting young strikers on the continent over the last 18 months, and Le 10Sport reports both Real Madrid and FC Barcelona made contact with Lille during the January transfer window over a potential summer move for the striker.

Spain’s two biggest clubs apparently held talks with the Ligue 1 side to discover what their plans were for Osimhen at the end of the season, rather than looking to complete a move during the middle of the campaign.

The two side of El Classico are both on the lookout for a new striker, with Luis Suarez and Karim Benzem  respectively coming towards the end of their careers at the highest level.

Barça’s main target will still be  Lautaro Martínez at the end of the season, but there are still concerns over how the club will be able to finance a move for the Argentina international.

Real Madrid have also shown some interest in  Martínez, although it’s still unclear who Los Blancos will prioritise as they look to find Benzema’s long-term replacement – a role which almost certainly won’t be taken up by summer signing  Luka Jović.

Osimhen isn’t the star name that Barcelona or Real Madrid fans would be hoping for once the summer transfer window opens, but the Nigeria international could actually prove to be one of the signings of next season.

Arriving at Wolfsburg in 2017, Osimhen didn’t really get a chance to impress in the Bundesliga and he was eventually loaned out to Belgian side RSC Charleroi for the 2018/19 season. That deal also included an option to make his move permanent for just over £3m.

After scoring 20 goals for  Charleroi, Osimhen joined the club on a full-time basis last summer, but he moved to Lille just one month later in a £10m deal.  He’s scored 15 goals since arriving at the  Stade Pierre Mauroy , sitting fifth in the top scorers’ charts in Ligue 1.