Victor Osimhen revealed his side of the story during an investigation into the controversial transfer from LOSC to Napoli in 2020. ‘I was very angry with both Lille and my agent.’Although Napoli w...
Victor Osimhen revealed his side of the story during an investigation into the controversial transfer from LOSC to Napoli in 2020. ‘I was very angry with both Lille and my agent.’
Although Napoli were cleared of wrongdoing and the sporting investigation shelved, the Italian financial police are continuing their focus on the eyebrow-raising deal struck between the two clubs.
As part of the evidence presented to request a full trial for false accounting, certain WhatsApp communications between Napoli and Lille figures were published this week by La Repubblica newspaper.
Nigeria’s forward #9 Victor Osimhen reacts during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 quarter-final football match between Nigeria and Angola at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on February 2, 2024. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
They also now released excerpts from the interview that Osimhen, now with Galatasaray, gave to the investigators about the 2020 transfer.
“The agent I had before told me that Napoli had serious interest, but he was only interested in my transfer, whereas my mind at the time was entirely on my father’s health. I just wanted to know how he was doing,” said Osimhen of representative Jean Gerard.
“Gerard called me to come and meet him in Nice, where we met with Luis Campos and Lille President Gerard Lopez. They told me I had to move to Napoli, that there was already an agreement in place and, due to the pandemic, this was a good opportunity for Lille. But I didn’t know about any of it.”
Osimhen gave his side of Lille-Napoli story
NAPLES, ITALY – FEBRUARY 21: Victor Osimhen of SSC Napoli reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 round of 16 first leg match between SSC Napoli and FC Barcelona at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on February 21, 2024 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
Just a few days later, Osimhen’s father sadly passed away, and the Nigeria international was distraught.
“Following my father’s death, I was very angry with both Lille and my agent, because I didn’t get to see him before he died. They had even told me I had to leave the day after for Naples, without even giving me time to deal with the death of my father.”
When the player did fly out to Naples to visit his future club, there were more confusing developments that lead to a breakdown in the rapport with Jean Gerard.
“Out of respect for the Lille President, I went to Naples anyway, but I was not ready to sign anything. I met the coach, who explained the project, and then the day after President Aurelio De Laurentiis in Capri. He told me about the city and the club, but I couldn’t understand what he was saying with (director Cristiano) Giuntoli, because they spoke in Italian.
“He asked me if I had seen the contract yet, but I hadn’t received anything. When I got back to the hotel, I asked my agent if I could see the contract, but he said he didn’t have it. I was stunned, because the President told me that he did.
“Eventually, he showed me a piece of paper with some pseudo-agreement with Napoli. I got angry and wanted to return to France. I asked Lopez for a week to rest and went to Paris. Once I returned to Lille, I decided to break off my working relationship with that agent.”
Napoli forward and Serie A star Victor Osimhen celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first Leg football match between Napoli and Barcelona at the Diego-Armando-Maradona stadium in Naples on February 21, 2024. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP) (Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)
Despite the setbacks, and weeks of negotiations between the clubs with two different agents, Osimhen did eventually move to Napoli for what was on paper €80m.
The argument made by the investigators is that the figure was really €50m plus the vastly inflated values of goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis and three youth team players.
“Seeing that Napoli really were interested, I asked William D’Avila to take care of my transfer. Towards the end of July, I signed the contract in Lille, in the presence of Maurizio Micheli for Napoli, and amongst others D’Avila, Lopez, Ingla, Calenda and Cros.”
Roberto Calenda would go on to become Osimhen’s agent in future, but it seems their rapport started before that.
“In December 2021, I asked Calenda for a loan of €550,000 for family expenses, which I promised to return.”
Category: General Sports
