Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen has revealed that he was compelled to sign for Italian Serie A side Napoli in 2020 against his will, describing the move as one of the most emotionally draining experiences of his football career.
The Super Eagles forward, now playing for Turkish giants Galatasaray, disclosed that his transfer from Lille took place just days after he lost his father a period he said was filled with grief, confusion, and pressure from those managing his career at the time.
“The agent I had before told me that Napoli had serious interest, but he was only focused on the transfer deal,” Osimhen said. “My mind was entirely on my father’s health. I just wanted to know how he was doing.”
The €75 million transfer from Lille to Napoli was completed amid controversy, making Osimhen Africa’s second most expensive footballer at the time, behind Nicolas Pépé’s €80 million move to Arsenal.
However, Italian authorities later opened an investigation into the deal, alleging inflated player valuations and hidden payments. While the sporting probe has been dropped, financial investigators continue to review the case.
Recalling the tense moments around the move, Osimhen said he felt manipulated by his former agent and club officials at Lille.
“After my father died, I was very angry with both Lille and my agent,” he recounted. “I didn’t get to see my father before he passed. They told me I had to leave for Naples the very next day, without giving me time to mourn or even process what had happened.”
Despite his grief, Osimhen said he travelled to Italy “out of respect for the Lille President.” Upon arrival, he met with then-Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso and club owner Aurelio De Laurentiis, but confusion over contract details left him uneasy.
“He asked me if I had seen the contract yet, but I hadn’t received anything,” Osimhen explained. “When I got back to the hotel, I asked my agent to show me the contract, but he said he didn’t have it. I was stunned, because the President had told me otherwise. Later, he showed me a paper with a pseudo-agreement with Napoli. I got angry and wanted to return to France.”
Feeling betrayed, Osimhen cut ties with his agent and sought help from another representative, William D’Avila, to handle the transfer.
“Seeing that Napoli really were interested, I asked William D’Avila to take care of my transfer,” he said. “Towards the end of July, I signed the contract in Lille, in the presence of Napoli’s Maurizio Micheli and others.”
Osimhen went on to become a key figure for Napoli, guiding the club to their first Serie A title in 33 years in 2023.
