Napoli’s unacceptable Victor Osimhen TikTok videos could see €150m Arsenal, Chelsea target deliver fatal blow
Victor Osimhen, Napoli, May 2023
Reigning Serie A champions Napoli and their superstar striker Victor Osimhen are apparently at war following the club’s inexplicable decision to post videos on TikTok mocking him for a penalty miss.
If you’re reading this, you’ve no doubt heard about or seen the videos that Napoli’s official TikTok channel produced about star striker Victor Osimhen in the wake of his penalty miss in the 0-0 Serie A draw against Bologna last weekend.
Osimhen didn’t have the best of games, continually frustrated by Bologna goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski. And when presented with the chance to give Napoli the lead and all three points, the Nigerian – who missed two from the spot last season – blasted a penalty wide. Osimhen was taken off five minutes from the end by coach Rudi Garcia and showed his visible frustration as he made his way to the bench.
There had been talk of rancour between the two and Napoli’s title defence seemed to be fading fast. Garcia had also hooked off Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – another key man in their famous Scudetto win – the week prior against Genoa to the same response. Luciano Spalletti’s work was seemingly being undone at rapid pace. And then came the videos.
Legal action threatened
Napoli’s TikTok channel posted two about Osimhen in the aftermath of the Bologna miss. It was the second one that most focused on; comparing the Nigerian to a coconut. The video made by Napoli’s social media team was aimed at the 16-34 age demographic that inhabits the platform, but no one was laughing.
The club was widely condemned for the video, with many asking how it could produce such videos about a striker who rifled 26 Serie A goals last season and was a major player in their first league title since the days of Diego Maradona.
The videos were promptly deleted amid the uproar, but had been saved and uploaded by other users and made their way to other platforms. The player’s agent, Roberto Calenda, took to X and threatened to file a lawsuit against Napoli for the damage done; Osimhen responded by deleting every post on his Instagram account in which he’s in Napoli blue bar one.
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Contract talks grind to a halt
Wow! Napoli’s TikTok on Victor Osimhen is a tough watch. The player and his agent are correct in coming forward and releasing a statement. pic.twitter.com/xPVabH7VLq
— Eduardo Hagn (@EduardoHagn) September 26, 2023
Off the pitch, Osimhen is going through a delicate period; his transfer from Lille to Napoli in the summer of 2019 is still being investigated by Italian prosecutors and club president Aurelio De Laurentiis is potentially accused of false accounting in the deal. The Osimhen transfer was included in the same investigation that eventually saw Juventus docked 10 points last season. Napoli were initially cleared of any wrongdoing, but the case appears to be lingering on, no doubt adding to Osimhen’s woes.
Moreover, discussions over a new contract for Osimhen, which occurred over the summer following the Scudetto win, appear to have ground to a halt. Osimhen’s contract at Napoli expires in the summer of 2025, and the issue of a future buyout clause – and how high it would be – proved to be a sticking point between the parties. In mid-August, it was reported that a deal was close, with Osimhen earning a pay rise to €10million-per-season and a release clause set at €150m from the summer of 2024 onwards. Yet no deal was ever signed.
Osimhen was also subjected to a mega offer from Saudi Arabia, with Napoli turning down a €140m bid from Al-Hilal and Osimhen offered wages of €1.1m per-week. The offer was rejected out of hand by Napoli.
With Serie A having a round of midweek games, Napoli’s fixture at home against Udinese took on even more intrigue, with all eyes on Osimhen. Napoli produced their best performance of the season, winning 4-1 and looking much more like the Napoli of last season than the stodgy outfit of this term. Osimhen of course scored – his fourth league goal in six games – but his celebration was somewhat muted; lacking in the usual enthusiasm and without taking his now trademark mask off, something the Nigerian routinely does when scoring.
Real Madrid, Chelsea and Arsenal links
Here’s the video pic.twitter.com/FOH0IXAGx3
— Tosin Taylor🇳🇬 (@Itstosintaylor) September 26, 2023
Where things go between Osimhen and Napoli now remains to be seen. The club released an official statement declaring their love for the 24-year-old and stating they ‘never intended to hurt’ Osimhen, yet there can be little doubt that both videos were offensive and the coconut version displayed overt racial tones.
Moreover, the statement from Napoli had a whiff of empty platitude about it, hollow and lacking in sincerity. It’s just another example of Italy claiming to battle racism within the game but openly shooting themselves in the foot and not being able to read the room.
Osimhen is already being linked with moves away as early as January, with Saudi clubs again hovering, as well as Arsenal, Real Madrid and Chelsea, to the surprise of no one.
One thing is clear: Napoli have sabotaged their own chances of keeping Osimhen, and should he leave, there could be little complaint.
