Napoli coach Antonio Conte has emphasised the club’s consistency in handling the Victor Osimhen situation, stating that the Nigerian forward will not be reintroduced to the first team.
Conte addressed the Osimhen transfer saga during a press conference on Saturday night, following Napoli’s 2-1 victory over Parma at the Stadio Maradona.
Osimhen, who was left out of Napoli’s Serie A squad, has been replaced by Romelu Lukaku.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 secured 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 whether he plans to reintroduce 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.”
Conte acknowledged that while the transfer window did not go entirely as planned, the club’s efforts were commendable.
“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.
