Victor Osimhen has delivered a scathing account of his final months at Napoli, alleging that the club reneged on a gentleman’s agreement and treated him with a lack of respect unbefitting a player who had propelled them to historic success.
The Nigerian striker was the spearhead of Napoli’s triumphant 2022–23 Serie A campaign, a season that ended a 33-year wait for the Scudetto. With 26 league goals in 32 appearances, Osimhen finished as the division’s top scorer and became a symbol of the club’s renaissance under Luciano Spalletti. Napoli amassed 90 points that season, finishing well clear of their nearest challengers and securing only the third league title in their history.
His individual accolades soon followed. In 2023, Osimhen was crowned African Footballer of the Year, cementing his reputation as one of Europe’s most feared centre-forwards. Yet within months, the relationship between player and club deteriorated sharply.
In an interview with the Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, Osimhen claimed there had been a verbal understanding that he could leave the following summer should a suitable offer arrive. “There was a mutual agreement based on trust,” he said. “If I wished to move on, the club would not stand in my way. That promise was not honoured.”
According to Osimhen, tensions escalated to the point where he was effectively marginalised from the squad. He also alleged that a potential transfer to Juventus was blocked by Napoli’s hierarchy, despite serious interest from the Turin side.
The forward’s frustration culminated in a move abroad. He joined Turkish giants Galatasaray in a deal widely reported as one of the most expensive transfers in Turkish football history. The switch offered him a fresh start—and, perhaps, a measure of vindication.
That sense of redemption was evident this week when Galatasaray dismantled Juventus 5–2 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off tie, with Osimhen playing a prominent role in the attacking display.
Osimhen’s 2022–23 Serie A Statistics
| Category | Total |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 32 |
| Goals | 26 |
| Assists | 4* |
| League Position (Napoli) | 1st |
| Points Accumulated | 90 |
*Assist figure based on official Serie A records for the season.
Reflecting on his treatment, Osimhen did not mince his words. “They tried to send me wherever it suited them,” he said. “Go here, go there, do this, do that. I worked extremely hard to build my career and I could not accept being treated like a pawn. I am nobody’s puppet.”
The episode underscores the fragile equilibrium that often exists between elite footballers and their clubs. One season, a player is a hero; the next, he may find himself surplus to requirements. For Osimhen, the fallout with Napoli marks a painful chapter in an otherwise glittering ascent. Yet, judging by his performances in Turkey, his story remains far from finished.