Osimhen injury record source of concern for Napoli

Super Eagles and Napoli striker Victor Osimhen is out for at least a month after a thigh strain in the Champions League win over Liverpool and this brings his terrible injury record into focus.

There were reports over the summer that Manchester United were prepared to pay over €100m for the Nigeria international, also handing over Cristiano Ronaldo on loan with a large portion of his salary paid.

He had a great start to the season, contributing two goals and an assist, but pulled up during the 4-1 victory against Liverpool with a Grade II femoral bicep strain.

Since joining Napoli for €80m in September 2020, the 23-year-old has had a dreadful injury record, missing what will be 40 matches by the time this latest lay-off is complete.

Many of these have been unavoidable traumatic injuries, as he dislocated his shoulder in November 2020 while playing for Nigeria against Sierra Leone, then hit the back of his head during a Serie A match against Atalanta and was briefly knocked unconscious, ruled out for three games.

The worst was the clash of heads with Inter defender Milan Skriniar in November 2021, leaving him with multiple facial fractures, requiring metal plaques and 18 screws to hold it all together.

That kept Osimhen on the sidelines for almost a full three months.

This is not taking into account the two different times he contracted COVID-19 while on vacation in Nigeria, and a few muscular strains.