Italian prosecutors have called for Napoli and the club’s owner, Aurelio De Laurentiis, to stand trial for alleged fraud and false accounting related to player transfers, including the high-profile signing of Victor Osimhen.
The investigation focuses on deals made between 2019 and 2021, particularly the acquisitions of Osimhen from Lille and Kostas Manolas from Roma.
The €70 million transfer of Nigerian striker Osimhen in 2020 has come under scrutiny due to four players, valued at around €20 million, being included in the deal and moving to Lille.
Notably, three of these players never played for the French club, raising suspicions about the legitimacy of the transaction.
Napoli and De Laurentiis’ lawyers have dismissed the prosecutors’ request for a trial as incomprehensible.
Fabio Fulgeri and Lorenzo Contrada, representing the club and its owner, stated, “In the documents, there are opinions from consultants and independent bodies that demonstrate incontrovertibly that Napoli acted legitimately and in compliance with Italian accounting principles.”
They added, “We are convinced that the proceedings will conclude positively for Napoli and De Laurentiis.”
A preliminary hearing judge will decide within six months whether the case warrants a criminal trial, which could take years to resolve.
However, a source at Napoli revealed that documents cited by prosecutors had already been reviewed by Italy’s football federation (FIGC) and found to contain no incriminating evidence.
The source stated there is no chance of Napoli facing penalties from the FIGC, even if a criminal trial proceeds. They also expressed confidence that a trial would not take place.
Osimhen played a pivotal role in Napoli’s 2023 Serie A title victory, their first since the Diego Maradona era.
Teaming up with breakout star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Osimhen scored 26 league goals, solidifying his reputation as one of the world’s top strikers.
However, after expressing a desire to move to the English Premier League last summer, Osimhen was loaned to Galatasaray in September after failing to secure a transfer.
This case is part of a wider investigation into transfer dealings in Italian football. In April 2022, Napoli and De Laurentiis were acquitted by the FIGC in a related probe.
However, the investigation uncovered broader issues, leading to Juventus being deducted 10 points in 2023 for manipulating capital gains from transfers.
