Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has said Victor Osimhen made the right choice by joining Italian giants, Napoli.

The 21-year-old former Wolfsburg striker recently completed a reported record €81m move to Napoli from Lille on a 5-year deal subject to a further year.

Last season, Osimhen scored 18 goals in all competitions for Lille – including 13 in Ligue 1 – before football in France was aborted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rohr believes the timing for the move was good, especially with the former Golden Eaglets striker getting assurance of regular playing time from Napoli manager Gennaro Gattuso.

“The time was right because it’s an opportunity for him (Victor Osimhen) to go to a big club; to go to one of the best leagues in Europe and to make also a good contract,” the 67-year-old told TVC News.

“You know the career of a football player is very short, and they have to do all (they can) to have good contracts. Time is going so quickly.

“I am happy for him. We spoke about his transfer before. He had some other opportunities, but I think he made the right choice, because like I told him ‘if the coach wants to have you, then it is good to go there’. And he saw, indeed, Gattuso and they spoke about his chance to play. He will have the chance to play in the beginning and to show all his talents.

“If he stayed another year in Lille in France, it could also be good, but I think the moment is come for him to go to a higher level. It is a good transfer for him,” Rohr restated.

In a stellar debut season at Lille, Osimhen was named the club’s Player of the Season and also scooped the Marc Vivien Foe prize for the Best African Player in France.

The former Flying Eagles goal poacher has netted 4 times in 9 appearances for Nigeria at senior level.

He scored 10 goals – a competition record – as Nigeria won a 5th FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile, five years ago.