Kelechi Nwakali believes his compatriot Victor Osimhen deserves to win the 2023 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award.
Osimhen is among the three players, who made the final shortlist for the prestigious award.
The other two are, Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain defender, Achraf Hakimi and Mohamed Salah, who plays for Premier League giants, Liverpool.
Osimhen led Napoli to win the Scudetto for the first time in 33 years last season, netting 26 times in 32 league outings.
The 24-year-old also scored five more goals in the UEFA Champions League with Napoli exiting the competition in the quarter-finals.
The forward was also the top scorer in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier with 10 goals.
Nwakali posited that Osimhen had a better season than Hakimi and Salah.
“Osimhen emerged as one of the best players last season after winning the highest goal scorer award in Italy,” Nwakali said on Brila FM.
“Looking at the players nominated I think he had a better season.
“I believe he will get the highest votes to win the African Player award.”
Osimhen has won some individual accolades recently including the Best Foreign Athlete in Italy and the Italian Footballers’ Association (AIC) Serie A Player of the Year award.
He is looking to become the first Nigerian since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999 to win the CAF Men’s Player of the Year award.
