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- Napoli signed Romelu Lukaku to replace Victor Osimhen, who joined Galatasaray on a season-long loan
- The Belgian striker has started strongly at Estadio Diego Armando Maradona under Antonio Conte
- Fans and pundits have claimed that the former Chelsea star is a better striker than the Nigerian forward
Romelu Lukaku’s bright start at Napoli has drawn comparisons to Victor Osimhen’s start at the club after the Belgian replaced the Galatasaray loan star in Italy.
Osimhen pushed for a move away from Napoli this summer but settled for a loan to the Turkish champions despite rejecting a similar approach from Chelsea.
Source: Getty Images
Antonio Conte requested Lukaku on a permanent move from the Premier League club, and after five games, he has proven to be a valuable asset to the Italian club, having a better start at the club than the Nigerian.
Legit.ng compares Lukaku and Osimhen’s first five games at Napoli.
Lukaku's first 5 games at Napoli
Lukaku made his Napoli debut in the 2-1 win over Parma on matchday three, coming off the bench to score the winner and instantly justifying why Conte wanted him all summer.
He followed it with a goal and assist in the 4-0 win over Cagliari away from home on his first start for the club. He repeated the same feat against Como, having blanked against Juventus and Monza.
According to Opta Paolo, his haul of seven-goal contributions in his first five games is the best of any Napoli player since the 2004/05 season when Serie A returned to 20 teams.
Osimhen's first 5 games for Napoli
The Neapolitans signed Osimhen from LOSC Lille for a club record €80 million, including bonuses, in July 2020, but the forward did not make an instant impact.
Like Lukaku, the Nigerian also made his debut against Parma, coming off the bench and playing 29 minutes. According to Transfermarkt, his first goal contribution was an assist in his second game in the 6-0 win over Genoa.
He scored his first goal in his third game in the 4-1 win over Atalanta and got one more in the matchday seven’s 1-0 victory over Bologna before going on 12 weeks on the sidelines due to injury.
He recorded a goal and assist in his first five games, a tally Lukaku has gone beyond. With four assists, the former Everton star has more than Osimhen provided in his first season.
The former Chelsea striker could easily surpass his tally of 10 goals and three assists if he keeps up his pace. It is early, but Lukaku is proving to be the better player.
Ex-player applauds Napoli's decision
Legit.ng reported that a former player hailed Napoli’s decision to let go of Victor Osimhen and replace him with Romelu Lukaku, who settled in quickly.
German Denis described Lukaku’s qualities that make him a better fit for the team, adding that his relationship with Antonio Conte makes him the better option.
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Source: Legit.ng
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