Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has admitted a major transfer misjudgment after allowing Victor Osimhen to leave the club, a decision influenced by former manager Antonio Conte. During Conte's Scudetto-winning 2022–23 season, Paris Saint-Germain made a combined €200 million offer for Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Conte reportedly told De Laurentiis, "Osimhen you can sell, but please don't sell Kvara." Osimhen was instrumental in Napoli's first Serie A title in 33 years, scoring 26 goals to win the Paolo Rossi Award. Despite signing a new contract in December 2023, a gentleman's agreement allowed the Nigeria international to exit before the 2024–25 season. Failed transfers to Chelsea and Al-Ahli preceded a loan move to Galatasaray in September 2024, later made permanent. Kvaratskhelia was eventually sold to PSG in January 2025, a decision De Laurentiis now calls a "big mistake." He cited ongoing disputes with Kvaratskhelia's father and agent as a consequence. Osimhen scored 76 goals and recorded 18 assists in 133 appearances for Napoli across five seasons.
Antonio Conte's call to sell Osimhen instead of Kvaratskhelia looks increasingly flawed, given Osimhen's proven goal output and Kvaratskhelia's eventual departure under contentious circumstances.
Conte prioritized Kvaratskhelia's versatility and work rate, but the financial and emotional fallout from selling him mid-contract suggests a breakdown in Napoli's player management. Osimhen's consistent scoring — 76 goals in 133 games — made him a more stable asset, while Kvaratskhelia's exit for a one-time €200 million package now seems shortsighted given the club's loss of leverage.
For Nigerian fans, Osimhen's departure from Napoli marks the end of a golden chapter for African excellence in Serie A. His goal tally and recognition as African Footballer of the Year underscore his importance as a continental standard-bearer.
Napoli's next striker signing will be under immediate pressure to fill a void that statistics alone cannot measure.
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