SUPER Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has finally opened up about his controversial departure from Napoli in 2024, revealing that his relationship with the Italian club deteriorated after what he described as mocking videos posted on the club’s TikTok page.
In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, the Nigerian forward detailed the circumstances that led to his exit, accusing the club of failing to honour a prior agreement and of turning supporters against him during a tense period.
According to Osimhen, tensions escalated after Napoli’s official TikTok account posted videos mocking him following a missed penalty during a Serie A match.
“Anyone can miss a penalty, anyone can be mocked for it. Napoli only did it to me, and with certain innuendos, too,” he said.
The striker added that the situation worsened as he became the target of racist insults during the controversy.
“I was the victim of racist insults, and I made my decision: I wanted to leave,” he stated.
In response to the incident, Osimhen said he deleted images of himself wearing the Napoli shirt from his Instagram account — a move that reportedly angered the club hierarchy.
“I deleted photos of me in a Napoli shirt from my Instagram, and they seized the opportunity to turn the fans against me,” he said.
Osimhen further disclosed that he had a “gentleman’s agreement” with Napoli that would allow him to leave the club the following summer. However, he claimed the promise was not fully honoured.
“We had a gentleman’s agreement that I could leave the following summer, but the other side didn’t fully keep their promise,” he explained.
He alleged that the club attempted to dictate his next move without regard for his career ambitions.
“They tried to send me to play everywhere, treating me like a dog. Go here, go there, do this, do that. I worked so hard to advance my career; I couldn’t accept that kind of treatment. I’m not a puppet,” Osimhen said.
The dispute ultimately led to Napoli freezing the striker out of the squad ahead of the 2024/25 season. He was not registered in the club’s Serie A team, effectively sidelining him from domestic competition.
Napoli later loaned him to Galatasaray before his eventual permanent departure.
Osimhen completed a €75 million transfer to his current club last year, bringing an end to a turbulent chapter of his career in Italy.
Osimhen had previously enjoyed immense success with Napoli, playing a key role in their historic Serie A title triumph and establishing himself as one of Europe’s most prolific forwards.
However, the public fallout and contractual disagreements overshadowed his final months at the club.
His latest remarks offer fresh insight into the breakdown of relations between player and club — a saga that had dominated headlines in Italian and Nigerian football circles throughout 2024.