Osimhen pays tribute to Mario Gomez for taking him under his wing at Wolfsburg 

Victor Osimhen has appreciated retired Germany international Mario Gomez for helping him at the start of his career at Wolfsburg. 

The Ultimate Strikers Academy product was courted by a plethora of European clubs after winning the top scorer award with ten goals at the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup in Chile but cherry picked Wolfsburg. 

Wolfsburg signed the promising striker in exchange for 3.5 million euros, beating the likes of Arsenal, Juventus and Barcelona to his signature. 

Osimhen struggled for consistency and had fitness issues at the German Bundesliga club, making sixteen appearances during his time at the Volkswagen Arena without finding the net.

Perhaps things would have been worse if Gomez, a teenage star back in the day, had not taken Osimhen under his wing. 

On the people he's most grateful to, Osimhen said to Il Mattino, via Tuttomercatoweb : "To many. But I often think of Mario Gomez. It wasn't easy in Wolfsburg and not just because of the weather: it was the first experience away from home, practically in another world.

"And Mario stopped with me at every training session, to give me suggestions, to tell me what to do in order not to make mistakes.

"He gave me confidence: a great champion who dedicated himself to giving me suggestions. And I said to myself: if someone as important and good as he wastes time with someone like me, it means that he sees something in you that maybe you haven't seen yet.

"And it was the teaching that helped me make the key step in my career".

Osimhen is almost matured now as a striker after leaving Wolfsburg for pastures new, with 76 goals combined in 150 matches for Sporting Charleroi, Lille and Napoli.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

Copyright ANS

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from allnigeriasoccer.com