Victor Osimhen Reveals He Was Pressured Into Joining Napoli After Father's Death

Victor Osimhen has revealed that he was pressured into signing with Napoli while his father was dying, claiming that agents and club officials forced the transfer without his consent.

The Nigerian striker, who moved from Lille to Napoli in the summer of 2020 for a reported fee of around €80 million, has testified to Italy’s Guardia di Finanza. According to a leak by La Repubblica, he stated that the transfer occurred without his knowledge or proper documentation.

"My previous agent, Jean Gerard, had expressed serious interest from Napoli, but he was only interested in my transfer and not in my father's health. At that time, I didn't have the head to think about football; I just wanted to know how he was doing," the striker said.

"Gerard called me to meet him in Nice. Luis Campos and Lille president Gerard Lopez were also there. They told me I should move to Napoli, that there was already an agreement in principle and that, due to the pandemic, it was a good opportunity for Lille. But I knew nothing about it.

Osimhen's frustration increased when he asked his agent for a draft of the Napoli contract, but his agent informed him that none existed, despite club president De Laurentiis claiming otherwise.

After my father's death, I was very angry with Lille and my manager, because I couldn't see my father before he died. In fact, they told me I had to go to Naples the day after my father's death. I went to Naples out of respect for the Lille president, but I wasn't going to sign anything.

"I met with the manager first, and he explained the project to me. The next day, I met with De Laurentiis in Capri. He told me about the city and the club, but I didn't understand what he and Giuntoli (Cristiano Giuntoli - Napoli's sporting director at the time) were talking about because they were speaking Italian. They asked me if I had seen the contract, but I didn't understand anything.

"When I got back to the hotel, I asked my agent for a draft contract. He told me there was no contract. I was surprised because the president said otherwise. Finally, he showed me a document from a supposed agreement with Napoli."

During his time at Napoli, Victor Osimhen won the Serie A title in the 2022–23 season, helping the club secure its first Scudetto in 33 years. His standout performances also earned him numerous individual accolades. He was the Serie A top scorer (Capocannoniere) that season, becoming the first African player to win the award.