Former Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly has advised his former teammate Victor Osimhen to take charge of his own destiny in the face of interest from Chelsea, News About Nigeria reports.
Both Chelsea and Manchester United are reportedly keen on acquiring the Nigerian striker from Napoli.
Although no official bids have been submitted by either club, Osimhen appears to be uncertain about his next move, while Napoli is determined to retain his services.
However, Koulibaly, who played alongside Osimhen during his 48-match spell at Napoli, stated in a recent interview that the highly regarded striker does not need his advice on whether to join Chelsea or not.
The Senegalese international encouraged Osimhen to make an independent decision, emphasizing that the 24-year-old Nigerian has learned from the best throughout his career, particularly under the guidance of Gennaro Gattuso and Luciano Spalletti.
Koulibaly, who currently plays for Al-Hilal, expressed confidence that Osimhen will be content with whatever outcome he chooses, given his experiences and exposure to top-level coaching.
“He doesn’t need my advice,” 32-year-old Koulibaly told Corriere dello Sport, when quizzed to share some advice for Osimhen.
“We talk from time to time, and he’ll call me if he wants. But now Victor is a very important player, one of the best in the world.
“Gattuso helped him, Spalletti was the turning point and now he no longer needed anyone.
“He must choose freely, on his own, without listening to other opinions. Only in this way will he have no remorse,” he added.
Koulibaly joined Saudi Arabian Pro League side Al-Hilal from Chelsea on Sunday June 26, for an undisclosed sum as was announced by the two clubs.
He is now the second Chelsea player to complete a move to Saudi Arabia since the opening of the summer transfer window, while N’Golo Kante was the first, joining Karim Benzema at Al Ittihad.
