Aurelio De Laurentiis, the president of Napoli, disclosed the intricate circumstances surrounding the departure of two of the club’s star players, Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, following their historic Serie A title win in the 2022/23 season. The narrative begins with a staggering €200 million offer from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for the dynamic duo, a bid that De Laurentiis ultimately rejected. This decision, as he explains, was rooted in a promise made to then-manager Antonio Conte to retain the core of the championship-winning squad. De Laurentiis intended to use the potential windfall from the sale to acquire Viktor Gyökeres, but ultimately prioritized his commitment to Conte and the team’s stability. This initial rejection of PSG’s lucrative offer underscores De Laurentiis’s emphasis on maintaining team cohesion and fulfilling promises made to his coaching staff, even in the face of immense financial incentives.
The narrative takes a turn with the eventual departure of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to PSG in the January transfer window for €75 million. This seemingly contradictory move, given the earlier rejection of a larger package deal including Kvaratskhelia, is explained by De Laurentiis as a forced decision driven by the player’s agent, Mamuka Jugeli. According to De Laurentiis, Jugeli leveraged Article 17, a FIFA regulation that allows players to terminate their contracts under specific circumstances, often related to unpaid salaries or breach of contract. The Napoli president insists that the club had acted in good faith, offering Kvaratskhelia a significant salary increase and improved contract terms following his stellar debut season. However, Jugeli’s alleged insistence on a move, coupled with the threat of legal action via Article 17, compelled De Laurentiis to reluctantly sanction the transfer to PSG.
De Laurentiis further elaborates on the tense negotiations with Kvaratskhelia’s agent, highlighting the difficulties encountered during discussions at the European Championships in Germany. He accuses Jugeli of employing delaying tactics and making unfounded claims about unfulfilled promises from Napoli’s former sporting director, Cristiano Giuntoli. This portrays a picture of a strained relationship between the club and the player’s representative, with Jugeli seemingly intent on securing a move for his client despite Napoli’s efforts to retain him. The implication is that Jugeli prioritized a transfer, possibly motivated by personal gain, over the player’s continued development and stability at Napoli.
The saga concludes with the eventual transfer of Victor Osimhen, also for €75 million, not directly to PSG, but to Galatasaray following a loan spell. While the specifics of Osimhen’s departure aren’t as extensively detailed as Kvaratskhelia’s, the timing suggests a potential ripple effect from the Georgian winger’s exit. With Kvaratskhelia gone and the team dynamics altered, Osimhen’s departure, though initially resisted as part of the package deal with PSG, became more plausible. This reinforces the interconnectedness of transfer decisions and how the departure of one key player can influence the futures of others.
The departures of Kvaratskhelia and Osimhen mark a significant turning point for Napoli, who had celebrated a historic Scudetto triumph largely thanks to their contributions. Kvaratskhelia, named the Serie A MVP, and Osimhen, the league’s top scorer, were instrumental in ending Napoli’s 33-year wait for the league title. Their combined attacking prowess provided the backbone of Napoli’s success, making their subsequent departures a considerable loss for the club. The narrative underscores the complexities of managing star players in the modern football landscape, where agent influence and the potential exploitation of regulations like Article 17 can significantly impact a club’s ability to retain its top talent.
In summary, De Laurentiis’s account reveals a multifaceted narrative of ambition, loyalty, and complex negotiations. The initial rejection of PSG’s substantial offer reflects a commitment to team stability and managerial trust. However, the subsequent departures of both players, driven by contrasting circumstances, highlight the challenges posed by agent influence and the intricacies of player contracts. While Kvaratskhelia’s exit appears to have been forced by his agent’s actions, Osimhen’s transfer, though initially resisted, eventually materialized, potentially influenced by the changing team dynamics. The saga ultimately serves as a case study in the delicate balance between sporting ambition, financial considerations, and the often-turbulent world of player transfers.
