Without a shred of doubt, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen was the standout Super Eagles player this season.
The 24-year-old led the Serie A team to their first league win since 1990, during the era of late Diego Maradona.
Osimhen also took home the golden boot with 26 goals – the first ever African to achieve the feat – and emerged as the best striker of the Serie A 2022/2023 season.
He narrowly missed out on the Player of the Year to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in what many have argued is a dubious choice.
“Balotelli told Osimhen that he still didn’t know what Napoli had done winning the title after 33 years.
“It was an unbelievable achievement and for Osimhen, I guess it was a dream come true for him,” Pooja Sulaimon, a top Nigerian sports photographer, who recently spent a week with Osimhen and Chukwueze in Italy and Spain, tells DAILY POST.
It won’t be a surprise seeing Osimhen turn out for any of Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Manchester United or Paris Saint-Germain next season.
Taiwo Awoniyi turned out to be the saviour for Nottingham Forest.
Awoniyi scored five goals against Southampton, Chelsea and Arsenal to save his team from relegation.
The striker arrived from Union Berlin in the summer for a record fee, but had to play second fiddle to Jesse Lingard for a long time.
But with Lingard injured and out of the side, Steve Cooper turned to Awoniyi, who responded with crucial goals.
For the second successive season, Alex Iwobi and Everton escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth.
Iwobi only contributed two goals in 41 appearances for the Toffees this season.
It was another African midfielder, Abdoulaye Doucoure, who proved to be decisive in the home stretch, with a crucial brace against Brighton and the winner against Bournemouth on the last day.
“Iwobi’s departure from Everton may not be the best decision at this time, primarily due to the question of where he would go next,” Steve Dede, the immediate former Sports Editor at Pulse tells DAILY POST.
“While he has performed decently, Iwobi hasn’t demonstrated that he deserves a place at a higher level than Everton.
“However, it’s not a reflection of his abilities; rather, I believe he has been unfortunate not to have a stable environment to develop in his preferred midfield position.
“Playing in various positions over the past two seasons at a club struggling against relegation can be chaotic and has hindered his progress towards reaching his full potential.
“In my opinion, it would be beneficial for Iwobi to stay at Everton, seize the opportunity to play in midfield, and prove that he deserves a better club than Everton,” he added.
Two other Nigerian players that might be moving on are Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi.
Iheanacho and Ndidi were not as lucky as Iwobi and suffered the indignity of relegation from the Premier League.
Iheanacho has scored only eight goals in 34 appearances for the Foxes, while Ndidi was responsible for some of the goals they have conceded.
“Leicester City’s season can be encapsulated by Kelechi Iheanacho winning the club’s player of the season award,” Dede notes.
“It’s worth noting that Iheanacho’s first league start came in February, which emphasizes Brendan Rodgers’ missed opportunity to trust him earlier in the campaign.
“Nonetheless, Iheanacho has proven his worth and demonstrated that he possesses the necessary qualities to excel in the Premier League. Consequently, his impressive performances will likely attract interest from other clubs, especially considering Leicester City’s relegation from the top flight.
“On the other hand, Wilfred Ndidi endured a disappointing season, seemingly paying the price for his years of intense and physical play. Struggling with fitness throughout the campaign, Ndidi appeared sluggish in the early stages.
“However, he managed to regain his form towards the end of the season, albeit too late to salvage Leicester City’s position,” he added.
In Spain, Samuel Chukwueze’s campaign with Villarreal saw him named the Best African Player in LaLiga.
Chukwueze finished the season with 13 goals and 11 assists across all competitions. It was the 24-year-old’s most productive season since his arrival at the Estadio de la Ceramica in 2019.
Sulaimon explains why.
He tells DAILY POST: “For the first time in a long time, Chukwueze stayed consistent despite injuries and change of managers plus had his best season in terms of goals/assists as well as awards.
“Hopefully, he will crack more numbers next season or even move to a bigger club.”
Ademola Lookman enjoyed a solid year in Italy with Atalanta.
He signed for the Serie A club last summer on a four-year contract for a reported fee of €15million.
Lookeman scored on his debut for Atalanta, a 2–0 Serie A win over Sampdoria on 13 August.
In January 2023, he scored braces in three consecutive matches: a 8–2 Serie A win over Salernitana, a 5–2 Coppa Italia win over Spezia and a 3–3 Serie A draw to Juventus.
At the end of the season, the winger had scored 13 goals in 30 appearances as they finished in fifth place with 64 points.
In France, Terem Moffi played for both Lorient and Nice (loan) this season.
Moffi scored 12 goals in 18 appearances at the Stade Yves Allainmat and 7 in 11 at the Allianz Riviera.
His 18 goals in Ligue 1 saw the striker finish 9th on the top scorer’s chart, ahead of Paris Saint-Germain’s duo of Lionel Messi and Neymar.
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