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By: Abiodun Adewale.
Victor Osimhen’s agent Roberto Calenda has shut down rumours that the Nigerian striker could still be open to a move away from the club in the summer, adding that he and his client are delighted to be staying with Napoli following the renewal of his contract.
Osimhen officially put pen to paper in a new deal running until the summer of 2026 on Saturday, with a release clause believed to be in the region of €120m-€130m for teams outside of Italy.
During an interview with Il Corriere dello Sport, Calenda described Osimhen’s extension as an historic deal for Italian football.
“Victor is doing very well in Naples and wants to take the team as high as possible. He has always said it and backed it up on the pitch. We just closed an historic deal in the history of Italian football. Let’s enjoy it.
“I’ve heard that I didn’t want him to renew and that I’d rather take him elsewhere. It’s the usual blame game. It wasn’t true. I represent Victor and I want what’s best for him. We’ve both wanted a renewal since the summer.
“Last summer, plenty of offers arrived, some monstrous ones, but De Laurentiis wanted to keep Victor and we made ourselves available. If we wanted to leave, we would have said so.
“Instead, we worked, a lot, to get the renewal done. Next summer it will be the same, we will speak to De Laurentiis and see what to do.”
Calenda added that the extension required lots of hard work from Osimhen himself on the pitch.
“It is recognition for what Osimhen has done and continues to do on the pitch. He’s an extraordinary player.
“This year as well, despite his injury, he is scoring. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that he dragged Napoli to a first league title in 33 years. Along with his teammates, he built something incredible.
Calenda was asked about the release clause in his client’s contract, but he refused to provide any further details, asserting that the terms of the contract are confidential.
Osimhen joined Napoli in the summer of 2020 for €70m. In his fourth season at the club, the Super Eagles striker helped Napoli win the Italian Serie A for the first time in 33 years last season, scoring 26 league goals to also emerge highest goal scorer in the process.
So far so good, the striker has contributed 84 goals (67 goals and 16 assists) in 199 appearances for the club in all competitions.