Victor Osimhen Recounts How He Was Forced to Sign Napoli Deal While Father Was Dying
- Victor Osimhen has stated that he was forced into signing the Napoli deal in 2020 while his father was on his deathbed
- The president of the Italian club, Aurelio De Laurentiis and CEO Andrea Chiavelli are being investigated for alleged false accounting
- The Nigerian international disclosed that he had no access to the draft of the contract while negotiations went on
Nigerian international Victor Osimhen has disclosed that he was pressured into signing for Italian club Napoli in 2020 while his father was on his deathbed.
The 26-year-old claimed that club officials and agents forced him to put pen to paper on the deal even without his consent.
According to the forward, he felt ignored as he had no access to the draft of the contract while negotiations went on between Lille officials and Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
Source: Getty Images
The Serie A giants announced the signing with a base transfer fee of €70 million, which potentially rose to €80 million with add-ons, making it the most expensive African transfer at the time.
In a leaked testimony via La Repubblica, the striker narrated his own side of the story as authorities launch a probe amid ongoing investigations.
The Italian outlet went further to publish emails and text messages exchanged between Napoli and Lille directors, but Napoli lawyers insist they don’t prove any wrongdoing. Osimhen said after leaving the club:
"My previous agent, Jean Gerard, had expressed serious interest from Napoli, but he was only interested in my transfer and not in my father’s health.
"At that time, I didn’t have the head to think about football; I just wanted to know how he was doing. Gerard called me to meet him in Nice. Luis Campos and Lille president Gerard Lopez were also there.
"They told me I should move to Napoli, that there was already an agreement in principle and that, due to the pandemic, it was a good opportunity for Lille. But I knew nothing about it.”
Amid the negotiations, the player's father passed away, which angered the forward even more when he was told to travel to Napoli.
"I was extremely angry with Lille and my agent because I hadn’t been able to see him before he died. They even told me I would have to leave for Naples the next day, without even realising my father’s death,” he added.
"I went to Naples anyway, but I wouldn’t have signed anything. I met with the coach, who explained the project to me, and the next day with De Laurentiis in Capri.
Source: Getty Images
Yahoo reports that Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis and CEO Andrea Chiavelli are being investigated for alleged false accounting in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
When Galatasaray announced Osimhen signing
Legit.ng earlier reported that Galatasaray shared a photo of the mask that has become synonymous with Osimhen upon signing the striker in the summer of 2024.
Osimhen arrived with an impressive 85 goal involvements during his four years at Napoli.
Source: Legit.ng
