AN insider in Victor Osimhen’s transfer to Napoli has revealed the dramatic events leading up to the 2020 move.
The Nigeria international joined Napoli from Lille in an €80 million move in September 2020, but it was not an easy deal to make, according to Giandomenico Costi’s account.
Costi worked with Cristiano Giuntoli on the deal and disclosed that the Napoli director ‘locked’ Osimhen inside a hotel, persuading him to sign for the Italian club instead of Liverpool.
“The signing of Osimhen is Giuntoli’s biggest masterpiece,” Costi told Tuttosport today, according to Football Italia.
“He [Osimhen] was locked in a hotel for three days. Giuntoli knew Liverpool were interested, and Jurgen Klopp had made his move, but Cristiano spoke to Osimhen in the hotel for three days until he convinced him to accept Napoli.
“He was full of energy. Giuntoli is a director who would call you 100 times a day. He knew Victor very well, he had even followed him at Charleroi.”
The move has paid huge dividends, with Osimhen scoring a league-high 23 goals to lead Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years.
Giuntoli has a year left in his Napoli contract but has reached an agreement with Juventus, so Costi was asked whether the 51-year-old is ready to move to the Old Lady.
“He is, surely, but he’d be ready for any club. At Juventus, he would have the best facilities in the world,” Costi explained.
“He knows football very well and he can adapt to any context which is rare for a director who hasn’t been a professional footballer at the highest levels.”
