Club president Aurelio De Laurentiis has come under fire from former Napoli coach Rudi Garcia for how he handled Victor Osimhen’s contract.
Garcia charged him with poor leadership that damaged the striker’s bond with the team.
Osimhen, who played a significant role in Napoli’s historic Serie A title victory the previous season, became caught up in a controversial contract dispute last summer.
De Laurentiis refused to lower his €130 million asking price for the Nigerian striker, even though Chelsea and Al-Ahli made sizable approaches.
In the end, Osimhen gave his contract an additional year, deferring its expiration until 2026.
Garcia, who oversaw Napoli prior to his termination, has now addressed the matter.
He stated, “Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis doesn’t understand football,” in an interview that Haber Sari Kirmizi reported.
“Players like Piotr Zielinski and Victor Osimhen should have had their contracts extended well before last summer.”
Garcia also charged De Laurentiis with interfering too much.
According to the 60-year-old, “I was made to pay the price for telling him to stay in his lane because he meddled in everything from tactics to player preferences.”
Additionally, he asserted that instability resulted from player and staff discontent brought on by the club’s poor management.
Osimhen is anticipated to leave Napoli despite his contract extension, though a January transfer seems improbable.