Victor Osimhen expressed his anger towards Napoli, stating that the Italian club’s management treated him like a “dog” and never kept their promises to him.
Despite being a prolific player for Napoli, and a key contributor to their 2023 Serie A title win, the Nigerian striker was subjected to vicious abuse from his club in a racist video on social media, which paved the way for his departure from southern Italy.
Antonio Conte, the coach known for his love of winning, took over at Napoli in the summer of 2024 and wanted Osimhen to stay at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. However, the 27-year-old striker had already made up his mind to leave, while Juventus tried to keep him in Italian football.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Osimhen said: “I could have been at two other top clubs in Serie A today. [Former Juventus director] Giuntoli contacted me about joining Juve before negotiations with Galatasaray even began.”
He added, “But I knew that Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis wouldn’t let me leave. In any case, the interest was definitely there, and when Juventus calls, regardless of everything else, you have to sit down and listen.”
He continued, “We had a gentleman’s agreement that I would leave in the summer of 2024, but the other side didn’t fully honor the commitment. 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 hard to build my career, and I couldn’t accept that kind of treatment. I’m not a puppet.”
“Conte tried to keep me,” he added. “I told him I’d love to work with him, but I’d already made up my mind: I didn’t want to stay somewhere I wasn’t happy.”
Osimhen is now enjoying his second season with Galatasaray after completing his permanent transfer, having scored 52 goals in 63 appearances. Regarding his experience in Turkey, he said: “I found a club and a city I love. Maybe it was a stroke of luck. Once you arrive in Istanbul, you understand why everyone who has played here falls in love with the team and the people. I’ve never experienced anything like it.”
