Monaco bring 17-year-old Nigeria-eligible striker back to Ligue 1 to follow Victor Osimhen's path

Ligue 1 side AS Monaco have pulled off a major coup by securing the signing of Nigerian striker George Ilenikhena from Belgian champions Royal Antwerp to follow in Victor Osimhen's footsteps.

The 17-year-old prodigy, born in Lagos in 2006, arrived in France at the tender age of 3 and has been tipped for the top ever since breaking into the Amiens first-team last season per the club website.

Ilenikhena, who can play across the front line, made history in January 2023 by becoming the youngest-ever goalscorer in Ligue 2 with a strike against Bordeaux.

His remarkable performances in France earned him a big money move to Antwerp last summer, where he continued to showcase his exceptional talent under the tutelage of former Bayern Munich star Mark Van Bommel.

The youngster scored 14 goals in 50 games for the Belgian champions, including a memorable strike against Barcelona in the Champions League, and his goalscoring exploits have inevitably attracted attention from Europe's elite.

And now, he has abandoned compatriot Alhassan Yusuf after AS Monaco won the race to secure Ilenikhena's signature, with the Ligue 1 giants believed to have shelled out a staggering fee to bring the Nigerian wonderkid to the Principality.

At just 17 years of age, Ilenikhena is already the only player born in 2006 or later to have scored more than 5 goals across the top 10 European leagues, with his tally currently standing at an impressive 8 goals.

The left-footed striker, who will wear the number 21 shirt, will now look to continue his meteoric rise under the guidance of Monaco boss Adolf Huetter as the club aims to challenge for silverware both domestically and in Europe.

With his blistering pace, clinical finishing, and innate ability to create chances for his teammates, Ilenikhena has all the attributes to become a superstar of the modern game.

And Monaco will be hoping that he can follow in the footsteps of fellow Nigerian icon Victor Osimhen, who also made his breakthrough as a teenager in Belgium before going on to become one of the world's most feared strikers.