Napoli’s Sporting Director, Giovanni Manna, has pointed fingers at Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen for the escalating tensions between the player and the club. The strain comes after Osimhen’s failed transfers to Chelsea in the Premier League and Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia, both of which collapsed on the final day of the transfer window.
Following the closure of the window on August 31, Osimhen was notably excluded from Napoli’s Serie A squad, and his iconic number 9 jersey was reassigned to the club’s new signing, Romelu Lukaku.
In an interview with DAZN, Manna revealed that the root of the conflict lies in Osimhen’s firm decision to leave Napoli. According to Manna, the striker had made it clear at the end of last season that he no longer wished to play for the club.
The situation is very clear, it has been since the end of last season. Victor expressed his absolute desire to not stay at Napoli, to not play for Napoli, and we tried to make him happy,” Manna stated. “We thought that we had concluded the negotiations, but then it did not go through. We bought Lukaku, kept Raspadori and Simeone, which was not to be taken for granted.
Manna emphasized that the club had to adapt quickly to Osimhen’s desire to depart, leading to strategic decisions to strengthen the squad without him. “He expressed the desire to no longer play for Napoli, and so we made other choices,” Manna added.
Addressing speculation about Osimhen possibly moving to another Saudi club, Manna indicated that while the transfer market in Saudi Arabia remains open, a move during this session seems unlikely. “There are many options, but I don’t think Victor will go to Saudi Arabia in this transfer session,” he said.
Manna also disclosed the financial implications of the unresolved situation, noting that Napoli had anticipated funding new transfers with the proceeds from Osimhen’s sale. “Our ideas were clear from the start. We were waiting to sell Victor to finance these operations, but the sale did not arrive,” Manna explained, adding that Napoli’s President took on considerable risk to invest in the team despite the setback.
The ongoing standoff between Osimhen and Napoli has left fans and analysts questioning the striker’s future and its impact on the club’s plans for the season.
