Napoli coach Antonio Conte has opened up about the club’s handling of the Victor Osimhen situation, explaining the challenges they faced during the summer transfer window.
Following Napoli’s 2-1 victory over Parma, Conte addressed the media and clarified the club’s stance on Osimhen and their plans moving forward.
Osimhen’s Absence and Lukaku’s Arrival
Victor Osimhen, who had been linked with moves to PSG, Chelsea, and Al-Ahli over the summer, has been left out of Napoli’s Serie A squad.
Despite serious interest from these clubs, no agreement was reached, leaving Osimhen on the sidelines as Romelu Lukaku took over the No. 9 shirt at the Stadio Maradona.
Conte acknowledged that the transfer window was “tough” for Napoli, as they were unable to finalize Osimhen’s sale, which affected their plans for the squad.
“Some issues blocked it; perhaps if we had unlocked that [Osimhen] situation, we would have completed the team differently and earlier,” Conte admitted.
Despite not receiving the expected funds from Osimhen’s transfer, Napoli went ahead and signed Lukaku from Chelsea for €30 million.
Conte expressed his regret over the situation but praised the club for its consistency in handling the matter. “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,” he said.
No Plans for Reintroduction
Conte was clear that there would be no reintroduction of Osimhen or Mario Rui, another player excluded from the squad.
When asked if he was planning to bring back any sidelined players, Conte firmly responded, “No, this is the team. This is the group.”
He emphasized the importance of consistency and respecting the club’s decisions, despite the financial implications.
“Coherence is the starting point when it comes to respecting the rules. The president proved consistent despite losing important money—credit where credit is due,” Conte added.
🚨🇳🇬 Antonio Conte on Osimhen to be reintegrated at some point: “NO player will be reintegrated”.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 1, 2024
“Those who are out of the project will remain out of the project. We made our choices and work in one direction all together”. pic.twitter.com/HsPSmvwGmh
Looking Ahead
Although the summer transfer window didn’t go as planned, Conte remains optimistic about the future. He believes the club made the right decisions under challenging circumstances and is focused on moving forward with the players they have.
“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,” Conte concluded.
As Napoli moves into the season with a restructured squad, the focus will be on making the most of the situation and pushing for success on the pitch.
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