Milutin Osmajic has given Genoa a centre-forward’s answer at the start of his Italian chapter: goals, work without the ball and an immediate place in Daniele De Rossi’s plans. The Montenegro striker, already known around the club as “Osmagic”, has helped the Rossoblu step away from a difficult spell.
The decision
Genoa brought Osmajic in during the summer from Preston North End for a fee of about €2.5 million. De Rossi had wanted attackers able to attack space at speed, yet the coach has admitted that the 26-year-old was not his first choice and was initially a player he knew only limitedly.
There was also an understandable question over how quickly a forward arriving from England’s Championship would settle into Serie A. De Rossi has stressed, however, that it is not automatic to regard that division as below the Italian game. Osmajic has made the adjustment rapidly.
In five outings, he has produced three goals and one assist, making him Genoa’s leading scorer. His contribution against Fiorentina captured the profile Genoa had been seeking: he scored himself before creating Messias’ goal in the same match.
Osmajic is most effective close to goal, where he has shown a sharpness in finishing, but his athleticism has also allowed him to carry the line and bring others into play. At times, he has been able to operate as the lone attacking reference, offering a solution that had been missing from De Rossi’s squad.
The timing matters. Lorenzo Colombo will be unavailable for around a month after picking up an injury in the Bucharest friendly during the international break. Venturino and Nuredini remain long-term absentees, while Vitinha, despite praise from the coach, has recently made an important impact mainly as a substitute.
There are elements of the former Genoa forwards Caleb Ekuban and Jeff Ekhator in Osmajic’s role: a physical striker prepared to stretch a defence and occupy the penalty area. But his early influence has gone beyond a familiar tactical type.
Concerns linked to incidents before his move to Italy have not followed him into his Genoa spell. His conduct on the pitch has been exemplary, while he has settled easily at Pegli, speaking and joking with teammates across language barriers.
For a side trying to regain its footing over a long season, that blend of output, availability and integration has quickly made Osmajic more than a summer signing. Genoa needed a forward who could turn possession into decisive moments; so far, he has done exactly that.
