Emmanuel Amuneke, a former Super Eagles winger, has disclosed that Zamalek, an Egyptian club, passed on the opportunity to sign Victor Osimhen back in 2015. Osimhen, who played under Amuneke at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile, emerged as the tournament’s top scorer with ten goals, clinching the Golden Boot.
Amuneke, who previously played for Zamalek, recommended Osimhen to the club; however, the talented forward was overlooked, eventually joining VFL Wolfsburg in Germany. Reflecting on the missed opportunity, Amuneke expressed his disappointment, emphasizing the reluctance in Africa to embrace and nurture young talent.
In an interview with MBC Masr, Amuneke lamented, “One of the problems we face in Africa is the lack of courage in giving opportunities to young players. We always look for the ready player in Africa, although the young ones are the stars of the future. I suggested Osimhen’s name to people at Zamalek, and the answer was ‘We are going to watch him,’ but nothing materialized.”
Following his stint at Wolfsburg, Osimhen endured challenging loan spells before securing a move to Lille in Ligue 1. After an impressive season with Lille, Osimhen transferred to Napoli, where he contributed to the club’s Serie A title win after more than three decades. His exceptional performance led to him being honored as Africa’s Best Player at the CAF Awards 2023 last December.
The revelation by Amuneke sheds light on the intricacies of talent scouting and the missed opportunities that clubs encounter in the pursuit of promising players. Osimhen’s journey serves as a reminder of the resilience and potential that young African talents possess, and the imperative need for clubs to recognize and nurture such potential.
