Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna has placed the blame on Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen for the current tensions between him and the club, stating that it was Osimhen’s decision not to play for Napoli again.
Osimhen’s potential moves to Premier League club Chelsea and Saudi club Al Ahli fell through on transfer deadline day in a dramatic turn of events. Chelsea opted to sign Jadon Sancho, while Al Ahli chose the less expensive option, Ivan Toney.
Following the closure of the transfer window at midnight on August 31, the Nigerian international was excluded from Napoli’s Serie A squad and stripped of his number 9 shirt, which was then assigned to Napoli’s new signing, Romelu Lukaku.
Manna, however, insists that Osimhen is responsible for the situation.
“The situation has been clear since the end of last season. Victor made it known that he absolutely did not want to stay at Napoli or play for the club, and we tried to accommodate his wishes,” Manna told DAZN.
“We thought we had completed the negotiations, but they ultimately fell through. We signed Lukaku and retained Raspadori and Simeone, which was not a given.
“At this moment, we are maintaining the same consistency we have had since the beginning: Victor expressed his desire to no longer play for Napoli, so we made other choices.”
Manna also commented on the possibility of Osimhen joining another Saudi club.
“The transfer market is still open, and there are many options, but I don’t believe Victor will move to Saudi Arabia in this transfer window,” Manna added.
Osimhen’s situation is also placing a significant financial burden on the club, as his sale was intended to generate funds for new transfers.
“Our plans were clear from the beginning. We were waiting to sell Victor to finance these operations, but the sale did not materialize. The President took on the responsibility to invest and revitalize the team, assuming all the risk himself. He has been incredible.”
