By Kayode John
Former Napoli director Cristiano Giuntoli has said the club should have sold Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen much earlier.
After a prolonged transfer saga during the summer window, Nigeria international Osimhen joined Galatasaray in Turkey on loan after he had been linked with Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Al Ahli.
Giuntoli, who is now a director at Juventus after leaving Napoli, was involved in the deal that brought the 25-year-old to the Diego Maradona Stadium in 2020. He was credited with recruiting players that ended the club’s wait for a Serie A title in 33 years in the 2022/2023 season.
“Maybe he should have been sold earlier, but Aurelio [De Laurentiis, Napoli President] is a wise and intelligent businessman. I owe him so much, and I love him,” Football Italia quotes Giuntoli as saying to Corriere della Sera when asked about how Napoli have handled Osimhen’s transfer.
When the football executive was also asked to mention the most difficult deal he has undertaken in his career, he replied: “Perhaps Victor [Osimhen]. It took me four months to bring him to Napoli.
Osimhen eventually joined Napoli for €77 million in 2020 and has scored 76 goals in 133 appearances for the Partenopei.
The reigning African footballer of the year has been linked with a move to Juventus.
