Napoli coach Antonio Conte has addressed the ongoing Victor Osimhen transfer saga, emphasizing the club’s consistent approach to the situation.
Conte, in a press conference following Napoli’s 2-1 victory over Parma at the Stadio Maradona confirmed that the Nigerian forward will not be reintroduced to the first team despite the failure to secure a transfer during the summer window.
Osimhen, who was left out of Napoli’s Serie A squad, has been replaced by the newly acquired Romelu Lukaku. Throughout the summer, Osimhen was linked with potential moves to Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Al-Ahli, but none of the negotiations materialized into a deal.
Reflecting on the transfer window, Conte described it as “tough” for Napoli. “Some issues blocked the transfer; perhaps if we had resolved the Osimhen situation, we would have completed the team differently and earlier,” Conte stated.
Despite the challenges, Napoli managed to secure Lukaku from Chelsea for €30 million, even though they did not receive funds from Osimhen’s sale. Conte expressed his regret over the situation, saying, “I’m sorry about what happened. I’m sorry for Osimhen, for the club that didn’t monetize, and for myself because we didn’t complete the team as we wanted. But the club remained consistent in this situation.”
Conte reiterated the importance of consistency and respect for the club’s decisions, particularly in the face of financial setbacks. “Coherence is the starting point when it comes to respecting the rules. The club proved consistent, and I praise them for this attitude,” he added.
When asked about the possibility of reintroducing players like Osimhen and Mario Rui, who are also not part of Napoli’s Serie A squad, Conte was clear: “No, this is the team. This is the group. We made decisions based on consistency and respect for the club.”
Despite the transfer window not going entirely as planned, Conte acknowledged the club’s commendable efforts in rebuilding the team. “We’ve started rebuilding. Good players arrived. It took us time to understand and think about it, but we signed them, and I am happy. We didn’t do everything, but I think the club did well,” he concluded.
