'Osimhen would become a superstar at Napoli' - Lille president Gerard Lopez

Lille president Gerard Lopez has stated that Victor Osimhen would become a superstar at Napoli should a transfer materialise.

The 21-year-old has been touted to join the Partenopei with reports suggesting he has travelled to the Campania capital and has met with the club president Aurelio De Laurentiis as well as coach Gennaro Gattuso.

Napoli's interest in Osimhen comes on the back of a productive season with Lille where he scored 18 goals in 38 competitive outings, all good enough to crown him as the club's best player and the best African player in Ligue 1 of the campaign.

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"For Victor, we had several offers. He asked me and I told him what I think was the ideal club for him," Lopez told La Voix du Nord.

"Napoli is just below Juventus or Barcelona but is at the same level as Atletico Madrid. If he goes there, he will become their superstar.

"Having a city like Naples at your feet must be exciting for a footballer. Victor has the strength to perform under pressure."

Osimhen's transfer to Napoli is believed to be accelerated by the rumoured departure of Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik who Goal understands is wanted by Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur.

The 26-year-old arrived at the San Paolo in 2016, but his time has been hindered by multiple injury problems. He has still been able to make 114 appearances in all competitions, scoring 47 goals and providing five assists.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Napoli are considering a Lille double swoop that includes Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes in a deal that will total €85 million, €60 million of that committed to Osimhen in a four-year deal with a reported salary of €2.5 million per annum.

Napoli's all-time leading scorer Dries Mertens is anticipating Osimhen's arrival, claiming he is precisely the type of player the club needs.

"My friends from Charleroi told me how well he played before going to France," the Belgian told Il Mattino.

"I don't know if he will come, but in any case, he is precisely the type of footballer that Napoli needs."

Osimhen's agent Osita Okolo has also previously confirmed the player's interest in Napoli, asserting his fondness for both the team and the city of Naples.

"Victor likes Naples, a fantastic city, and obviously he also likes Napoli as a team," he told TuttoMercato.

"The interest of a big Italian [club] personally does not surprise me considering how well he did with Lille."