Victor Osimhen has addressed the long running narrative around his fallout with Napoli, insisting there was no personal dispute with any of the coaches he worked under during his time at the Italian side, Footynaija.com reports.
The Nigerian forward, now on the books of Galatasaray, spoke to the press ahead of a UEFA Champions League meeting with Juventus, a fixture that brought his Napoli chapter back into focus.
His comments came almost three years after he helped Napoli win the Serie A title in the 2022–23 season, ending the club’s 33-year wait for the Scudetto and finishing that campaign as the league’s top scorer with 26 goals.
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Osimhen’s standing at the club began to shift during the 2023–24 season. Napoli moved from the title winning era under Luciano Spalletti into a more unsettled phase, and the striker’s relationship with the club hierarchy became strained.
In the interview, Osimhen rejected claims that he clashed with Spalletti.
“People said we argued, but that wasn’t true,” he said.
“I have a lot of respect for him. He slept at Napoli’s training centre for months, working day and night to convince us we could win the Scudetto.”
“He brought Kim, Anguissa, Kvaratskhelia, and even me to our best form, and we achieved victory with a club that hadn’t managed it in decades. He expected a lot, but he gave you a lot. Some coaches help you develop as a person first, and then as a footballer.”
The striker said the real breakdown came at executive level, explaining that a gentleman’s agreement had been reached over a future transfer, only for that understanding to fall apart.
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