Is Napoli trying to sabotage Victor Osimhen's transfer or career?

Following the ongoing transfer saga involving Victor Osimhen and Napoli questions as to whether a possible career sabotage have been raised.

Following initial reports of a possible move to the Saudi Pro-league questions as to if the former Serie A champions Napoli are looking to sabotage the career of one of the biggest stars out of Africa's career have emerged.

The genesis of the Victor Osimhen transfer saga

Following an impressive performance in the 2022/2023 season for Napoli, Super Eagles of Nigeria forward, Victor Osimhen became the most sought-after striker in the transfer window market.

His contribution towards Napoli winning the Serie A as well as his Ballon d'Or ranking made him one to watch in Europe and top clubs began calling that a move for Victor in the January 2024 transfer window looked likely with one club Chelsea leading the race for the forward.

With AFCON 2023 fast approaching and with more questions than answers about his future surfaces and discussions about a move to the Premier League intensifying, Victor Osimhen made a decision which many believed changed the trajectory of his football career.

On Saturday, December 23, 2023, Napoli president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, confirmed that the Nigerian international was in favour of a contract extension which would see him remain at the club to 2026 on a higher salary structure and an increased release clause.

For many sports personalities and analysts, this can be categorized as one of the key factors which are currently affecting his 2024 summer move.

Mixed Victor Osimhen transfer news

As the summer 2024 transfer window opened in June, it was revealed that both Napoli and Victor Osimhen had an agreement which would see the Nigerian complete a move away from the club in the transfer window.

Reports confirmed that Napoli was open to transfer talks within the stipulated transfer clause which had increased to 130 million euros with Osimhen's contract extension.

Osimhen to Chelsea transfer news

Chelsea had initially led the race to sign Victor Osimhen in the January 2024 transfer window and as such it was expected that the Blues actively push for a move in the summer transfer window but otherwise was the case as the Todd Boehly-led consortium was faced with investigations of the club violating the FFP laws and the risk of possible sanctions.

The Blues however re-entered the race for the Nigerian forward but according to reports could not reach an agreement on personal terms with Oismhen.

A silver lining for Osimhen in Europe

Following the departure of Kylian Mbappe from PSG, the Ligue 1 champions reportedly entered the race to sign Victor Osimhen as the club needed a star signing which would further rejuvenate the club.

According to Fabrizio Romano, this was a project Victor Osimhen was actively interested in and personal terms had been agreed on but PSG's asking price of 80 million euros became the deal breaker as Napoli who had also indicated interest in signing Chelsea's Lukaku as their main striker in the 2024/2025 club football season.

It was back to square one for Osimhen with just a few clubs which were Chelsea, Arsenal and PSG considering a move for the Nigerian international.

To the shock of many a proposed loan move for Victor Osimhen to Chelsea was raised as talks between Chelsea and Napoli intensified. This was a shocking move many did not see coming as it was viewed as a disgraceful move not befitting for a player of such status as Victor Osimhen.

It came as no surprise that his agent Calenda had shut down the speculations stating that such a move if far from happening.

Is Napoli sabotaging Osimhen?

Recent reports confirmed that the Saudi Pro-league side Al Ahli had opened conversations with Napoli to sign Osimhen on a deal estimated to be worth over 65 million euros.

It came as a shock to many as to why Napoli was open to this deal worth less than the initially proposed deal of 80 million euros presented by PSG in the early stage of the transfer window.

Many argued that Napoli's reason for considering this deal as of now can be attributed to the fact that they had reached an agreement with Chelsea for Lukaku.

For others, this is a deliberate move to keep Victor Osimhen out of Europe and if possible reduce his chances of becoming one of the biggest exports out of Africa.

These are mere speculations undeniably but you can't rule out the difficulties clubs have encountered negotiating for top star player with Napoli under the leadership of Aurelio De Laurentiis.

Who is Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis?

Negotiating with Napoli's President Aurelio De Laurentiis can be particularly challenging for top clubs due to several factors:

• Shrewd Negotiator: De Laurentiis is known for his tough negotiation style, often setting high asking prices and not easily accepting initial offers.
• High Player Valuations: He places significant value on his key players, making it difficult for other clubs to meet his demands. This has been evident in his firm stance on players like Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
• Long-Term Contracts: De Laurentiis frequently secures long-term contracts for his top players with high release clauses, ensuring that any interested club must pay a premium.
• Public Statements: His tendency to make bold public comments about his players and their futures can complicate negotiations by adding pressure to the process.
• Club Interests: De Laurentiis prioritizes Napoli's long-term interests over short-term financial gains, often preferring to keep key players unless a deal is overwhelmingly beneficial to the club.

Questions like will a move to a top side like PSG guarantees top-flight football in Europe beneficial for Napoli or Victor Osimhen have been raised but it is clear where things stand and that is the Nigerian international wants to remain in Europe and wants to paly top flight football as initially predicted by us.

With Napoli also open to talks for deals worth over 65 million euros it is safe to say that there would be new offers from other clubs in Europe.

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