Napoli coach Antonio Conte has affirmed that the club has been ‘consistent’ in its handling of Victor Osimhen and confirmed that the Nigerian forward will not be reintegrated into the first team. Conte addressed the Osimhen transfer saga following Napoli’s 2-1 victory over Parma at the Stadio Maradona on Saturday night.
Osimhen has been excluded from Napoli’s Serie A squad, with Romelu Lukaku, who has taken the No. 9 shirt at the club, now occupying the forward position. Despite discussions with PSG, Chelsea, and Al-Ahli during the summer, no deal was finalized with either Osimhen or Napoli.
Conte reflected on the challenges of the summer transfer window, stating, “It was a tough period for the club. Some issues blocked the situation; perhaps resolving Osimhen’s situation earlier could have allowed us to complete the team differently and sooner.” He added, “The club made significant efforts, and I am satisfied with what has been achieved.”
Napoli acquired Lukaku from Chelsea for €30 million, despite not having received funds from Osimhen’s potential sale.
“I’m sorry about what happened. I’m sorry for Osimhen. I’m sorry for the club that didn’t monetize. I am sorry for myself because we didn’t complete the team as we wanted, but the club proved to be consistent in this situation,” continued Conte.
“Coherence is the starting point when it comes to respecting the rules. The club proved consistent, so I praise them for this attitude.”
Mario Rui is also not part of Napoli’s Serie A squad, so Conte was asked if he’s planning to reintroduce some players to the first team.
“No, this is the team. This is the group,” he replied.
“We made decisions. I mentioned coherence before. Those who are not consistent don’t respect the rules. I repeat, respect to the club. The president proved consistent despite losing important money—credit where credit is due. The club were consistent, knowing that if the situation had unlocked earlier, we would all have been advantaged. As I said, we’ve started rebuilding. Good players arrived. They were on the table. It took us time to understand and think about it, but we signed them, and I am happy. We didn’t do everything, and it’s okay, but I think the club did well.”