Three players out of many Nigerian strikers in Europe have distinguished themselves, following their incredible displays in front of goals, and they have also registered their names in the minds of their club fans and supporters.
The level of their consistency when it comes to goal scoring is a major concern, that they might emerge as their leagues top scorers at the end of the season.
- Victor Osimhen
Few years ago when Victor Osimhen boosted into the limelight with Nigeria under 17 team, under the tutelage of Emmanuel Amunike at the 2015 FIFA World Cup in Chile, the 22-year-old striker, has not disappointed Nigerians, who believes that he is a true definition of a modern day goal poacher.
From 2015 till date after he won the top scorer award, at the FIFA under 17 World with 14 goals in seven games, the former Box-to-box academy graduate, has been able to net 40 club goals in 97 appearances for four different clubs; VFL Wolfsburg, Charleroi, Lille and Napoli.
Since he joined Napoli last season from French Ligue one side, Lille in a mega deal, Osimhen has now proven to many of his critics that he’s capable of winning the top scorer award, with his current performance that has seen him scored five goals in eight Serie A games.
The Gli Azzurri star is three goals behind Lazio’s Ciro Immobile who is currently leading the scorers chat. Should Osimhen continue with his fine form in front of goal, he will certainly become the new Italian Serie A top scorer, at the end of the season.
2. Taiwo Awoniyi
24-year-old Super Eagles player, Taiwo Awoniyi, whose style of play has been compared to that of Rashidi Yekini, the Nigeria's all-time highest goal scorer, is currently living to the expectations of his fans in Germany, after he completed a permanent move to German Bundesliga side, Union Berlin, during the summer transfer window.
Awoniyi who has been loaned to six clubs in Europe, since he joined Liverpool in 2015, after his brilliant outing with the Nigerian Under 23 team, is rated amongst the top strikers in the Bundesliga, who may likely win the Goal King award at the end of the season.
The Imperial academy graduate, who has made 124 appearances for five clubs; FSV Frankfurt, NEC, Mouscron, Gent, Mainz 05, during his loan spells in Europe, scoring 29 goals, is three goals behind Robert Lewandoski, who is topping the German top league scorers chat with 10 goals.
Awoniyi has all it takes to win the scorers award, if can maintain his decent goal scoring form, in the league till the end of the season.
3. Stephen Odey
Known for his prolific instinct as one of the emerging box to box finisher, 23-year-old, ex-FC Zurich striker, Stephen Odey is one of the hottest Nigerian strikers in European leagues at the moment.
Odey who won the highest scorers award while he was in secondary school in Lagos, before he moved to MFM FC, where he became the second top scorer in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) with 17 goals, has started his journey in the Danish apex league, with good number of goals to his credit.
Since he began his professional football career in Lagos in 2016, Odey has made 128 appearances for MFM FC, FC Zurich, Genk and Randers FC scoring 45 goals.
At the moment in the Superliga in Denmark, the Nigerian international who has played three games for the Super Eagles, has scored four goals in five league matches, and stand a better chance of being the top scorer at the end of the season, if he can sustain his goal scoring momentum.
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Olawale Quadry is a Mass Communication graduate, creative writer and pundit with eight years of experience and deep knowledge of Nigerian sports. He has previously written for SL10, South Africa, TribaI Football and Opera News. Follow him on Twitter @QualityQuadry
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