Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo reveals talks with Lille hotshot Victor Osimhen amid Old Trafford transfer links
Odion Ighalo has backed fellow Nigerian Victor Osimhen to reach the top after the Lille striker was again linked with Manchester United.
In 38 Ligue 1 appearances, the 21-year-old has struck 18 times and massively impressed in the Champions League group stages against Chelsea.
Despite losing Nicolas Pepe to Arsenal last summer, the French side have coped thanks to goals from Osimhen but could be braced for an influx of bids from interested parties when the summer window eventually opens.
Osimhen watched the Red Devils take on Club Brugge in the Europa League and Ighalo had a simple message for the former Wolfsburg attacker.
"I talk to Osimhen, he’s a very nice boy, young, he’s a good guy," Ighalo said in an interview with .
"We talk, not almost every day, but almost every time I advise him.
"He’s the future of Nigerian football. He’s the future, he’s going to do so well in football.
"I always advise him to keep calm, keep working hard and the guy is going to be a celebrity, you know.
"He came to watch our game against Club Brugge in Belgium because it’s closer to where he lives, he messaged me he was going to come so I gave him my jersey, and in fact he brought his own jersey for me, too.
"Osimhen is a nice boy, we’re from the same place.
"I love him, he’s down to earth, he’s hard working, he has a future and he has the mentality of a winner, that’s what I love about him. He has that lion’s heart.
"I love him, I just want him to keep working hard the way he’s doing, he’s going to break so many records in Europe and Nigeria."