Victor Osimhen's relationship with his agent, Roberto Calenda, seems to have reached a breaking point following a turbulent summer transfer window that saw the Nigerian striker's future at Napoli take several unexpected turns, Soccernet.ng reports.
The breakdown between Osimhen and Calenda appears to have culminated in the striker personally handling the negotiations for his move to Galatasaray, excluding Calenda entirely.
The cracks in their relationship began to surface when Calenda, who had been steadfast in defending Osimhen’s position, was unable to secure a move to Chelsea or Al Ahli, despite intense speculation.
Calenda had earlier dismissed rumours of a loan move to Chelsea and outright rejected the idea of Osimhen moving to Saudi Arabia, stating, “He is not a package to be shipped away to make room for new players.”
However, the root of the current transfer mess can be traced back to last year when Calenda oversaw Osimhen’s contract renewal with Napoli, which included a massive €130 million release clause.
This clause arguably complicated any potential transfers, including the failed move to PSG in August and Chelsea on transfer deadline day.
Left out of Napoli's official squad for the season, the striker's disillusionment with both the club and his agent became evident.
Italian media outlets have ridiculed Calenda, with La Gazzetta dello Sport via Tutto Napoli, remarking that Osimhen was “really sent like a package that no one wanted to deal with anymore.”
In a decisive move, Osimhen reportedly conducted the negotiations for his transfer to Galatasaray without involving Calenda, instead relying on intermediary George Gardi.
This development strongly indicates that Osimhen has severed ties with Calenda, a significant shift in trajectory for the Super Eagles striker as he prepares for his new chapter in Turkey.
Osimhen is no stranger to changing representation.
He has previously parted ways with agents like Jean-Gerard Benoit Czajka and William da Villa, who managed his earlier transfers to Wolfsburg, Charleroi, Lille, and Napoli.
