Victor Osimhen has spoken about what delayed his departure from Napoli, and he is pointing directly at the club’s leadership, Footynaija.com reports.
The Super Eagles striker spent three seasons in Naples. He scored regularly, helped Napoli win their first Serie A title in 33 years, and became the club’s highest-scoring African player ever.
With over 100 goals in all competitions, his record was rarely ever the problem.
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In the summer of 2024, Juventus came in for Osimhen. Their sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli spoke to him directly, as talks moved fast, and Osimhen even met with club officials to discuss terms. But Napoli set conditions on payment and clauses that Juventus simply could not meet. The move collapsed, and Osimhen was stuck.
Speaking in a recent interview, the 27-year-old said there had been a gentleman’s agreement that he could leave that summer, but Napoli did not honour it. Instead, he was pushed toward options he had no interest in.
“Before talks with Galatasaray began, Giuntoli called me to bring me to Juve. I spoke with a few people from the club and they showed interest,” he said, “but I knew he (De Laurentiis) wouldn’t let me go.”
“They treated me like a dog. Go here, go there, do this, do that. I worked so hard to build my career, I couldn’t accept that kind of treatment. I’m not a puppet,” he added.
After Juventus fell through, he joined Galatasaray on loan in 2024. The Turkish club then signed him permanently in 2025. He has since settled in well, scoring and keeping his place as the main man for Nigeria internationally.
But the interview revealed how little say he had over his own future at Napoli, and how much one man’s decisions shaped the path his career took.
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