Italian prosecutors have called for Napoli and its owner, Aurelio De Laurentiis, to face trial over allegations of false accounting related to player transfers, including the €70 million deal for Victor Osimhen.
Prosecutors in Rome claim that Napoli, De Laurentiis, and key advisor Andrea Chiavelli submitted falsified financial records between 2019 and 2021, particularly regarding the transfers of Kostas Manolas from Roma and Osimhen from Lille.
The Osimhen deal raised concerns because four players valued at €20 million were included in the transfer, yet three of them never played for Lille.
Napoli’s Response
Napoli’s legal team called the trial request “incomprehensible”, insisting the club acted lawfully.
“Independent consultants and regulatory bodies confirm Napoli followed Italian accounting laws. We are confident the proceedings will end in our favor.” – Fabio Fulgeri & Lorenzo Contrada (Napoli’s lawyers)
A preliminary hearing judge will decide within six months whether the case moves forward. However, a Napoli insider told AFP that Italian football authorities (FIGC) had already dismissed the documents as non-incriminating.
“There’s no chance of Napoli being penalized by FIGC, even if found guilty in court. We don’t expect this to go to trial.”
Osimhen’s Role in Napoli’s Success
Osimhen was a key player in Napoli’s historic 2023 Serie A title win, scoring 26 league goalsalongside breakout star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Despite his success, the Nigerian striker openly expressed his desire to move to the Premier League. After failing to secure a transfer, he was controversially loaned to Galatasaray in September 2024.
Similar Case: Juventus’ Punishment
Napoli’s case draws comparisons to Juventus’ 2023 financial scandal, where the club was found guilty of inflating transfer values to manipulate finances. Juventus received a 10-point deduction, and former chairman Andrea Agnelli now awaits a ruling on possible criminal charges.
While Napoli has so far avoided sporting penalties, the legal battle could shape the club’s future and Osimhen’s next career move.
