Napoli Coach Conte Confirms Osimhen Will Not Rejoin First Team

Napoli coach Antonio Conte has confirmed that Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen will not be reintegrated into the first team. This announcement comes after Napoli’s 2-1 victory over Parma at the Stadio Maradona, where Conte addressed the ongoing situation involving Osimhen.

During a press conference, Conte explained that Osimhen’s exclusion from Napoli’s Serie A squad was a part of the club’s consistent approach. Romelu Lukaku has since replaced Osimhen in the squad. Throughout the summer, Osimhen was linked with moves to Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Al-Ahli, but none of these transfers materialized.

Conte reflected on the challenges of the transfer window, describing it as a difficult period for the club. He noted that unresolved issues with Osimhen’s potential transfer affected Napoli’s ability to complete their team.

“Some issues blocked the transfer; perhaps if we had resolved the Osimhen situation, we would have completed the team differently and earlier,” Conte stated.

Despite these setbacks, Napoli successfully signed Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea for €30 million. However, they did not receive any funds from Osimhen’s transfer, which Conte acknowledged as a missed opportunity for the club.

“I’m sorry about what happened,” Conte said. “I’m sorry for Osimhen, for the club that didn’t monetize, and for myself because we didn’t complete the team as we wanted. But the club remained consistent in this situation.”

Conte emphasized the importance of consistency and respect for the club’s decisions, particularly in light of the financial challenges faced during the transfer window.

When asked about the possibility of reintroducing players like Osimhen and Mario Rui, who are also excluded from the Serie A squad, Conte was firm: “No, this is the team. This is the group. We made decisions based on consistency and respect for the club.”

While acknowledging that the transfer window did not go entirely as planned, Conte praised the club’s efforts in rebuilding the team.

“We’ve started rebuilding. Good players arrived. It took us time to understand and think about it, but we signed them, and I am happy. We didn’t do everything, but I think the club did well,” he concluded.