Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen accused former club Napoli of treating him “like a dog” during contract negotiations that led to his acrimonious exit, while lambasting the Italian side for a controversial TikTok video he deemed racist and unapologised for, in a candid interview published Monday.
Osimhen, who spearheaded Napoli’s 2023 Serie A triumph with 31 goals across competitions, departed on loan to Galatasaray in 2024 before making the move permanent, citing a fractured relationship exacerbated by the club’s handling of his future.
“We had a gentleman’s agreement according to which I could leave the following summer, but the commitment was not fully respected on the other side,” he said. “They tried to send me anywhere to play, but they treated me like a dog. Go here, go there, do this, do that. I worked so hard to build my career, and I couldn’t accept that kind of treatment. I’m not a puppet.”
The forward recounted the September 2023 TikTok incident, where Napoli mocked his missed penalty against Bologna with “certain kinds of insinuations,” prompting him to delete club photos from his Instagram.
“After Napoli posted that video on TikTok, something broke. Anyone can miss a penalty, and anyone can be mocked for it. Napoli did it only to me, and with certain kinds of insinuations as well. I was the victim of racist insults, and I made my decision. I wanted to leave,” Osimhen stated.
He added that no public apology followed, despite calls from club executive Edoardo De Laurentiis: “No one ever publicly apologised for what happened.”
Osimhen revealed interest from Juventus, where former director Cristiano Giuntoli approached him: “I could have been in two other top Serie A clubs today. Giuntoli called me to take me to Juve before negotiations with Galatasaray began. I spoke with a couple of people from the club. They showed interest, but I knew that he [Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis] wouldn’t let me leave.”
Despite incoming coach Antonio Conte’s pleas to stay — “Of course, even if some people said he didn’t want me. Are we serious? Which coach at that moment wouldn’t have wanted me?” — Osimhen opted out, saying: “I said I would have liked to work with him, but then I had made my decision: I didn’t want to keep working in a place where I didn’t feel happy.”
Expressing regret for the fans, whom he admired for their unwavering support — “I’m sorry for the fans, but I understand and admire them: they support the club, no matter what. For them, Napoli comes before everything” — Osimhen noted his personal ties: “And to think that, for me, my daughter is more Neapolitan than Nigerian.”
Napoli officials have not responded to the allegations.
