Super Eagles and Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen has opened up on the turbulent final chapters of his time at Napoli, detailing what he described as unfair, demeaning, and racially charged treatment that ultimately pushed him out of the club.
Osimhen, 27, joined Napoli from LOSC Lille in 2020 for €75 million, the most expensive transfer in the club’s history. Years later, the legitimacy of that deal was thrown into controversy, with Napoli’s hierarchy facing court proceedings over alleged false accounting linked to the transfer.
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From struggles to stardom
Osimhen’s first two seasons in Italy were heavily disrupted by injuries, limiting his impact and consistency. But the 2022/2023 campaign proved career-defining.
The Nigerian striker scored 26 goals across competitions to fire Napoli to their first Serie A title in over 30 years, ending a drought that stretched back to the Diego Maradona era. Individually, he swept up the CAF Player of the Year honour and finished eighth in the Ballon d’Or rankings, cementing his place among the global elite.
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In December 2023, Osimhen signed a new Napoli contract that included a release clause, built on what he later described as a “gentleman’s agreement” allowing him to leave the following summer if a suitable offer arrived.
Breakdown behind the scenes
The situation deteriorated rapidly after title-winning coach Luciano Spalletti departed and club president Aurelio De Laurentiis appointed Rudi Garcia. Osimhen’s relationship with Garcia soured, and tensions escalated further after Napoli posted a controversial TikTok video widely condemned for racist undertones; a saga former Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro described as “bizarre”.
Despite strong interest from Chelsea, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli were only willing to sanction a permanent sale to the Saudi Pro League.
Unable to force a clean exit, Osimhen joined Galatasaray on loan before completing a permanent move to Istanbul and RAMS Park the following summer.
Osimhen breaks his silence
Ahead of Galatasaray’s UEFA Champions League play-off clash against Juventus, Osimhen revealed just how close he came to joining the Italian giants, and why it never happened.
“Before talks with Galatasaray began, Cristiano Giuntoli called me to bring me to Juve,” Osimhen said, in quotes published by Fanatik.
“I spoke with a few people from the club, and they showed interest, but I knew he (De Laurentiis) wouldn’t let me go.
“In any case, there was definitely interest. And when Juve calls you, you have to sit down and listen, no matter what.”
Osimhen admitted he was prepared to stay at Napoli and work under Antonio Conte, but felt betrayed by the club’s hierarchy.
“We had a gentleman’s agreement that I could leave the following summer, but the other side did not fully honour that commitment.
“They sent me everywhere to play, and they treated me like a dog. Go here, go there, do this, do that.
“I worked so hard to build my career, I couldn’t accept that kind of treatment.
“After the club’s TikTok, everything changed. I was insulted, and no one ever apologised. I was a victim of racist insults: they treated me like a dog! I’m not a puppet.
“Conte wanted to keep me. I would have loved to work with him.”
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Redemption in Istanbul
Osimhen’s move to Galatasaray proved transformative. He enjoyed a sensational season in Turkey, winning the Super Lig Golden Boot and re-establishing himself among the continent’s best.
That resurgence was reflected in his inclusion in the top three for the 2025 CAF Player of the Year Award, alongside Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi.
For Osimhen, the journey from Naples to Istanbul was painful, but ultimately liberating. And as his words make clear, it is a chapter he will never forget.
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