Former Napoli Coach Slams Club President Over Handling of Victor Osimhen’s Contract Situation
- Victor Osimhen found himself embroiled in a contract standoff with Napoli earlier in the summer of 2024
- The Nigerian forward was frozen out of the first-team setup after he made clear his intent to depart the club ahead of the current season
- Former Napoli coach, Rudi Garcia, has slammed club president Aurelio De Laurentiis for his handling of the Osimhen contract situation
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Former Napoli coach, Rudi Garcia, has recently criticised club president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, over his handling of Victor Osimhen's contract saga and other related matters.
Osimhen and the Napoli hierarchy were at odds during the summer, with reports suggesting that the Serie A club deliberately thwarted every attempt by the Nigerian forward to secure a move away.
Source: Getty Images
Despite attracting significant interest from several top clubs, every offer for Osimhen fell through, and the striker found himself ostracised from the first-team setup.
Ultimately, a compromise was reached, and Osimhen secured a loan move to Galatasaray, bringing an end to the protracted standoff.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Garcia placed the blame squarely on De Laurentiis, accusing the Napoli president of lacking the footballing expertise needed to manage such situations effectively.
Garcia slams Laurentiis for Osimhen saga
Speaking in an interview as captured by media outlet, Haber Sarı Kırmızı, the 60-year-old tactician, didn’t hold back in his criticism of the Napoli president:
"Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis doesn't understand football.
"If he had kept me instead of letting me go, we would have qualified for the Champions League instead of finishing 10th. I'm 60 years old; I can't let a president tell me how to field the team.
"At that time, more than half of the players and staff wanted to leave Napoli. De Laurentiis started to meddle in everything, from tactics and systems to my preferences.
"I was made to pay the price because I told him to stay in his own area.
"The contracts of Victor Osimhen and Piotr Zielinski had to be renewed. One of them renewed his contract after a long time, while the other did not renew at all and was transferred to Inter."
Garcia’s remarks appear justified, as midfielder Piotr Zielinski recently shed light on the tense atmosphere at Napoli before his departure, as reported by Napoli Zone.
Meanwhile, Osimhen remains expected to leave Napoli in the summer of 2025, with several clubs, including top English Premier League sides, reportedly vying for his signature.
Sharing his perspective on Coach Garcia's remarks, football expert, Taiwo Popoola, highlighted that Napoli's challenges might have persisted regardless of whether Osimhen stayed or left.
"Would Napoli be better off with Osimhen? It’s hard to say definitively. Managerial changes and tactical adjustments often impact player performances, as we saw with Osimhen himself after Luciano Spalletti’s departure. Following that, Napoli struggled for consistency and slipped out of the Champions League spots.
Moreover, keeping Osimhen—who commands a substantial wage—wouldn’t make sense if he wasn’t the coach’s preferred choice. From a financial standpoint, Napoli arguably made a sound decision to let him go.
Ultimately, Napoli’s season should be judged as a whole. If the team isn’t struggling to score goals, it’s premature to claim they’re missing Osimhen. Whether Lukaku can help them secure another Scudetto remains uncertain, but Conte’s strategy deserves to be assessed over the long term, rather than based on isolated games or moments."
Reason Galatasaray cannot sign Osimhen surfaces
Legit.ng in another report detailed a Turkish coach has explained the reason why Galatasaray cannot sign Osimhen permanently.
The Nigerian forward remains heavily linked with the Istanbul outfit on a permanent transfer, but it has to be detailed that the chances of a deal materialising appear little.
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Source: Legit.ng
