Former Chelsea and Netherlands striker Jimmy Hasselbaink has cast doubt on the ability of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen to succeed in the Premier League.
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast hosted by former Super Eagles captain Mikel Obi, Hasselbaink was full of praise for strikers like Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland but expressed caution about Osimhen.
“I love Isak, I think he’s magnificent. Then you have Haaland, but you’re not going to get him. Then you have other strikers outside of England,” the 53-year-old said.
Osimhen, 26, reportedly turned down a lucrative €40 million offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal in favour of keeping his options open for a return to top-tier European football.
The forward was instrumental in Galatasaray’s domestic double last season, scoring 37 goals and registering eight assists in 41 appearances.
Victor Osimhen in action for Turkish giants Galatasaray. Photo Credit: Getty Images
Yet, Hasselbaink, who scored 87 goals in 177 games for Chelsea, remains unconvinced.
“Like Osimhen, I know he’s your countryman, but I’m not convinced that he’ll perform in the English Premier League,” he said.
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“If it were to be in Spain or Italy, then I’d have said yes, but in the Premier League? I’m not 100% sure.”
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Photo Credit: X
Hasselbaink also came to the defence of Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, who has been criticised for inconsistent finishing.
“I really like Jackson. People think I’m crazy, but I like him because he brings a lot of energy into the team, and people don’t see that,” Hasselbaink noted.
“He gets a lot of chances, but he doesn’t take a lot. There is a difference between a striker who gets chances and one who doesn’t. Now, we can work on him to make him calmer in front of the goal.”
Jackson, 23, has registered 30 goals and 12 assists across 80 appearances in all competitions since arriving at Stamford Bridge.
The Senegal international was Chelsea’s second-top scorer over the past two seasons.
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Hasselbaink added that Jackson’s development should be seen in context, recalling that the forward had no first-team action before his stint with Villarreal.
“Before Villarreal, he wasn’t playing anywhere, but now he’s at Chelsea and he’s still young,” Hasselbaink concluded.
Osimhen’s next destination remains uncertain, but with elite European clubs monitoring his situation, the Nigerian could soon test himself in a new league, whether or not that’s the Premier League.
