Victor Osimhen chances of featuring at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon will be determined by doctors on December 31.
The availability of the Napoli star striker has been in doubt for several weeks after he suffered facial fractures that needed surgery with his Italian club even announcing he will be out for as long as three months.
But in a tweet on Monday, Osimhen who is currently in Nigeria on a short break declared himself fit to play at the AFCON tournament scheduled to start on January 9 to February 6 2022, in Cameroon.
But according to an Italian website CalcioNapoli24, the 22-year-old Nigerian will have to undergo check-ups from December 30 and 31 to fully ascertain if he will make his second appearance at Africa’s biggest biennial tournament.
Napoli, for one, have made it very clear they do not wish to release their most prized asset for the AFCON.
They have invested heavily on the 22-year-old striker, from his record signing to his annual salary of €5m and now they hope he could fire them to their first Scudetto in 31 years.
Before the injury, he had scored five goals in Serie A and four in the UEFA Europa League.
Such is Napoli desperation to hold him back for their championship challenge that their lawyers are even exploring the possibilities of getting the courts to stop him from honouring Nigeria’s call-up to the AFCON.
“The attacker’s fate is in the hands of the doctors and any reservations will be ascertained at the end of the year between December 30 and 31,” CalcioNapoli24.
“A check-up is scheduled to access his condition after the operation on his cheekbone following a clash with Milan Skriniar.
Osimhen is currently training with a protective mask is just waiting to be cleared by the club doctors to resume full training with his teammates.
The former Wolfsburg striker has scored 10 goals in 18 games for the Eagles since he made his debut.
The former Sporting Charleroi has in the last two years emerged as the Eagles proven scorer – he finished as the team’s top scorer in the 2021 AFCON qualifiers with five goals and he is also leading the team with four goals in the 2022 World Cup qualifying series.
Meanwhile the President of the Nigerian Football Federation has expressed confidence that Osimhen will be fit to feature at the AFCON.
“Victor is very fine and there is no issue between the NFF and Napoli,” Pinnick said.
“Forget about all that has been said because anything that has to do with the jurisdiction of players just leave that to me. All the players that we need to be in Nigeria will be here by God’s grace. I can tell you that.
“I had a long conversation with Osimhen and he is very fine and the sports minister also spoke with him and he is eager and hungry to be there. He wants to be the highest goal scorer at the AFCON.
“We are very excited about that and I also spoke with (Wilfred) Ndidi and (Alex) Iwobi. I speak to my players virtually every day just to keep in touch with them and help build their confidence.”
