Napoli president under investigation over Victor Osimhen

Napoli’s president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, finds himself at the center of a high-profile investigation, facing suspicions of false accounting related to the club’s blockbuster £74 million signing of Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen.

The Nigerian talent made the switch to the Serie A giants from Lille in July 2020, setting in motion a series of events that have raised questions about financial practices.

To secure Osimhen’s signature, Napoli purportedly engaged in a complex deal that involved offloading four players for a combined sum slightly exceeding £17 million, a mere quarter of Osimhen‘s colossal transfer fee.

Reports indicate that the salaries of these departing players were allegedly overvalued in an attempt to artificially inflate capital gains.

Several Italian media outlets, including La Repubblica and Sky Sports Italia, have revealed that the Rome Prosecutor’s office has initiated an investigation into Aurelio De Laurentiis on allegations of false accounting pertaining to this high-profile transfer.

In the pursuit of acquiring Victor Osimhen, Napoli arranged the return of backup goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis to Lille, in addition to parting ways with three other players from their academy system.

Italy’s Financial Police initially gathered crucial documents that pointed toward potential irregularities in the club’s balance sheet, subsequently alerting Naples’ Public Prosecutor’s Office.