By Amaechi Agbo

Manchester United striker, Odion Ighalo says Lille’s hitman, Victor Osimhen has the heart a lion heart and is the ‘future of Nigeria football’ Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report.

Ighalo praised Victor Osimhen and claims the 21-year-old is ‘the future of Nigerian football’.

Osimhen has been in sublime form for Lille this season with 18 goals in 38 appearances so far.

Osimhen who replaced Ighalo as the Super Eagles points man after the later retired unceremoniously from the team at the end of 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, has been linked with a move away this summer, with Manchester United as one of the suitors on the road

Reports last month claimed that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had made him a ‘priority’ transfer target for Manchester United. And Ighalo, who regularly speaks to Osimhen, has backed the young striker to ‘break records’ in Europe and says he has the right mentality to be a success.

“I talk to Osimhen, he’s a very nice boy, young, he’s a good guy,’ Ighalo said in an interview with Elegbete TV.

“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,” the 2019 AFCON golden Boot winner said