By Ebenezer Bajela.
Former Napoli midfielder Gianni Improta has been left impressed with the partnership of Nigeria international, Victor Osimhen, and Napoli teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia following their hugely productive collaboration as they steer the Partenopei to top of the Serie A table.
Osimhen joined Napoli from French side Lille for an African record transfer fee of €81m plus ads-on in 2020 while the relatively unknown Georgian joined Luciano Spalletti’s side from Dinamo Batumi last July for €10m.
Osimhen first two seasons with Napoli were blighted by injuries and other related health issues but the Nigerian forward scored 10 and 14 goals in each of his first two seasons with Napoli.
So far this season, he has formed a dreaded partnership with the 21-year-old forward and their impressive paring is the key reason Napoli are likely to claim their first league title after over three decades.
capitalising on the creativity and quality of Kvaratskhelia, Osimhen has become an unstoppable goalscoring force in the Italian Serie A and has scored 16 goals in 17 games for Naples.
While the 21-year-old Georgian playmaker is the number one in the division for chances created and a number of assists (nine assists), the Nigerian striker is the league’s top goalscorer with 16 league goals.
Between them, Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia have contributed an astonishing 36 of Napoli’s 51 league goals.
According to Improta, the duo’s perfect partnership is the best in Europe at the moment.
“Kravatskhelia and Osimhen form a phenomenal couple,” Improta told Radio Marte, as per Tutto Napoli.
“In my opinion, they are the strongest in Europe, as well as among the youngest and, consequently, the one with there’s incredible room for improvement.
“We’ll see more of it with these two guys in the next ten years, as long as they let us enjoy them here in Naples. Age, physical strength, generosity, altruism: they have it all. They always improve, game after game, even thanks to Spalletti.”
Napoli are the clear favourites to claim a historic Serie A title since a Diego Maradona-inspired side achieved the same over 30 years ago.