Prominent Napoli fan and author Maurizio de Giovanni has urged the club’s supporters to stop discussing Victor Osimhen’s departure, insisting there’s no benefit in dwelling on the former striker’s impressive performances since moving to Galatasaray, Soccernet.ng reports
Osimhen left Napoli under contentious circumstances last summer, following a failed transfer attempt compounded by Napoli’s firm stance on his high transfer valuation.
Osimhen was a fan favourite in Naples after he played a pivotal role in Napoli’s historic Serie A title triumph last season, ending the club’s 33-year wait for a league championship.
However, his relationship with the club deteriorated after transfer negotiations soured, resulting in his eventual loan move to Galatasaray.
Since joining the Turkish giants, the Nigerian international has continued to make headlines, recently scoring twice against Tottenham in Galatasaray’s thrilling 3-2 Europa League victory. That brace pushed Osimhen’s tally to six goals and four assists across just eight appearances.
Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku, who stepped in as Osimhen’s replacement, has performed solidly with four goals and four assists in nine Serie A games for Napoli.
Yet, many Napoli fans remain fixated on the Osimhen saga, with some voicing regret over his exit.
For de Giovanni, however, the continued focus on Osimhen is unnecessary. The 66-year-old novelist argues that Osimhen’s relationship with Napoli was never deeply rooted.
“It’s useless talking about Osimhen: he wanted to leave; there is no point in regretting it, it is pure self-harm,” de Giovanni told Vikonos Web Radio/TV, as quoted by Tutto Napoli.
“As far as I am concerned, I think of him as Cavani, Higuain, Mertens: we are grateful to him, but let’s move on.”
Giovanni further noted that Osimhen’s bond with Naples was limited, as he never fully embraced the Italian language or culture and experienced issues within the locker room.
“The Nigerian has never interacted with the city, he hasn’t said a word in Italian, and he had problems with the locker room,” Giovanni added. “Conte’s choice has rebalanced things.”
Osimhen did renew his contract with Napoli before his loan move, with a significant €81 million release clause active in January, which will drop to €75 million in the summer.
