Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick, has openly criticised Napoli for their treatment of Victor Osimhen, following the striker’s high-profile transfer saga this summer.
Osimhen, who played a key role in helping Napoli secure their first Serie A title in over three decades, saw his relationship with the club deteriorate, ultimately leading to a season-long loan move to Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Lig after a failed transfer to other European clubs.
In an interview with Arise News, Pinnick expressed his disappointment with how Napoli handled the situation, especially considering Osimhen’s significant contributions to the club.
Victor Osimhen (Image credit: Getty Images)
Pinnick emphasised that Osimhen had given his all to Napoli and deserved better recognition, particularly after being crowned the African Footballer of the Year.
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Pinnick pointed out that Napoli failed to properly celebrate Osimhen’s achievements. “Osimhen did what nobody did in 30 years.
He singlehandedly won that league for Napoli after 30 years,” Pinnick stated. He further noted that Napoli delayed acknowledging Osimhen’s African Footballer of the Year award, only posting about it two days after the announcement.
Pinnick added, “Did they give him a guard of honour for winning the African Player of the Year? Napoli was not fair to Osimhen.”
Despite the fallout, Osimhen is now eager to make an impact with Galatasaray and has assured the club’s fans of achieving great things together.
Meanwhile, he is also focused on Nigeria’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda.
