Osimhen becomes N64m wealthier after Napoli’s 20th goal.
After scoring his 20th goal of the year, Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen activated the goals bonus clause in his contract, obliging Napoli to pay him a bonus of €130,130 (N64m), according to PUNCH Sports Extra.
The Nigerian international made a goal in Napoli’s 2-0 Champions League round-of-16 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt to bring his season total for 2022/23 to 20 and earn the €130,130 incentive (N63.6m).
The third and unquestionably greatest year of the Nigerian international’s five-year deal with the Neapolitans is currently underway.
After Napoli paid LOSC Lille €75 million and added a few players to the deal, the total cost rose to over €80 million in 2021, making Osimhen the most expensive African player in history.
One of the specified objectives in Osimhen’s five-year deal required Napoli to pay him €130,130 if the Nigerian forward scored 20 goals in a season, which was one of the benchmarks that would enable Osimhen to earn more than his basic wage of €4.8 million (N2.3 billion).
Osimhen only managed to score 10 goals in the league during his first season in Naples before scoring 18 goals (14 in Serie A and four in the Europa League) in his second campaign.
But during the 2022–23 season, a remarkable Osimhen tore through defenses and scored fantastic goals incredibly frequently.
Osimhen is the highest scorer in Serie A with 18 goals in 19 games despite missing a month due to injury. He now has 20 goals overall after scoring twice in the Champions League.
The 24-year-old forward has scored in each of his previous seven Serie A outings, with his most recent goal coming in Napoli’s 2-0 victory against Sassuolo.
When asked earlier in the season if the bonus in his contract would drive him to score more goals, the U-17 World Cup champion and record top scorer said that his first priority was to help the team.
“I’m thrilled since a strong start was crucial. We must have the same attitude as last year and get off to a great start. I’m not the kind of player to set goals; instead, I like to score goals that will benefit the team. I placed the group in front,” he declared.
If Osimhen can raise the total to 25 goals, he will be able to unlock a similar bonus, and given his current form, it is only a matter of when, not if, he will score five more goals.
