Sporting Director of French League side, Lille,  Luis Campos, has said it took him four years to sign Victor Osimhen for the club.

Osimhen joined Lille for €12m in August, but according to Campos, the 20-year-old had been on his radar since 2015, during the U-17 World Cup in Chile.

Nigeria were champions of the 2015 U-17 World Cup, with the 20-year old emerging top scorer with 10 goals, the highest ever by an individual in the competition.

Campo, in an interview with Sky Sports, said Osimhen’s performance at the U-17 World Cup thrilled him but lost him to Wolfburg.

“I went to see the U-17 World Championships. After one match, I wanted him (Osimhen). But his price was very expensive for a 17-year-old.

“I spoke to my CEO. I called him every night saying, ‘Please give me this player, he is amazing. In two years he will be one of the best in Europe,’” he told Sky Sports.

“In the end, the player went to Wolfsburg. I went to Wolfsburg just to see him play. Sometimes he only played for five minutes, sometimes only two. I was crazy for him!

“Then he had a virus and had five or six months not playing and went to Charleroi in Belgium. Two months later I signed him. So itʼs a nice story. I lost the player but then got him back.

“If all is normal at the end of the season there will be a big move for him because he’s like a cat.  He’s unbelievable. In the last 20 metres he attacks every ball. Every ball. Like a cat.”

Osimhen has been in great scoring form since joining Lille, scoring eight goals in 11 appearances this season.

His goalscoring form in Lille’s home turf has seen the club dub him the “Prince of Stade Pierre-Mauroy.”