Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has opened up on his troubled relationship with Italian club SSC Napoli, saying he was treated “like a dog” before leaving the club.
Osimhen made the remarks in an interview with Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, where he spoke about his disagreement with Napoli’s president, Aurelio De Laurentiis. The striker said the situation became worse after the club posted a video on TikTok that appeared to mock him for missing a penalty during a Serie A match against Bologna.
The 27-year-old forward, who now plays for Turkish giants Galatasaray S.K., said he felt disrespected by the club he once helped to achieve great success.
“We had a gentleman’s agreement that I could leave the following summer, but the other side didn’t fully fulfill that commitment,” Osimhen said in the interview. “They tried to send me everywhere, they treated me like a dog. Go here, go there, do this, do that. I worked so hard for my career, I could not accept that kind of treatment. I’m not a puppet.”
Osimhen joined Napoli in 2020 from French club Lille in a deal that made him one of Africa’s most expensive players at the time. During his stay in Italy, he became a key player for the Naples-based side. In the 2022/2023 season, he scored 26 league goals and finished as the top scorer in the Italian Serie A. His goals helped Napoli win their first league title in 33 years, a historic achievement that made him a hero among fans.
However, despite his success on the pitch, reports of tension between Osimhen and the club management began to surface last year. The situation escalated when Napoli’s official TikTok account posted a video that many people believed mocked the Nigerian striker after he missed a penalty in a match against Bologna. The video quickly went viral and sparked criticism from fans and football observers around the world.
Osimhen’s agent at the time described the post as unacceptable and warned that the player could take legal action. Although Napoli later deleted the video, the incident appeared to damage the relationship between the player and the club.
In his recent comments, Osimhen suggested that there had been an earlier agreement that he would be allowed to leave the club under certain conditions. According to him, that promise was not kept. He said the club tried to push him towards transfer moves that did not suit him.
The striker did not mention specific clubs, but during the last transfer window, he was linked with several top sides in Europe and Saudi Arabia. There were strong rumours connecting him with Premier League clubs in England as well as teams in the Saudi Pro League. However, no deal was completed before he eventually sealed a move to Galatasaray.
Osimhen’s departure marked the end of a mixed chapter at Napoli. While he delivered success and became one of the most feared strikers in Europe, his final months at the club were overshadowed by controversy and uncertainty.
In Nigeria, Osimhen remains one of the country’s most important football stars. He played a key role in helping the Super Eagles reach the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where Nigeria finished as runners-up. Many fans see him as a symbol of hard work and determination, given his difficult childhood in Lagos and his steady rise to the top of European football.
His latest comments have drawn reactions from Nigerian football supporters, with many expressing sympathy for the striker. Some have praised him for speaking out, while others have called for professionalism on both sides.
For Osimhen, the focus now appears to be on rebuilding and continuing his career in Turkey. At Galatasaray, he is expected to lead the attack as the club competes in domestic and European competitions.
Despite the bitterness of his exit from Italy, Osimhen made it clear that he remains proud of what he achieved at Napoli. But he also stressed that respect is important in football.