Napoli under financial strain as Osimhen saga drags on
Napoli is racing against the clock to resolve the Victor Osimhen transfer impasse, with mounting financial pressure threatening to destabilize the club’s balance sheet. The Nigerian striker, once a club icon, now represents a costly dilemma that Napoli can no longer afford to ignore.
Despite being out of the squad and on the fringes of the team, Osimhen continues to earn a staggering €193,000 per week, a figure that has become increasingly unsustainable for the Serie A side.
The urgency is compounded by the looming June 30 financial year deadline, by which Napoli must offload the striker to avoid losses exceeding €50 million, according to financial analysts.
‘No club in the world can afford the luxury of throwing away almost €200 thousand gross per week for a player who ended up out of the squad,’ noted Italian journalist Antonello Perillo, highlighting the gravity of the situation during his broadcast on Note Azzurrissime.
Napoli’s failure to qualify for the UEFA Champions League this past season has already cost the club €82 million in revenue, further tightening the financial noose. The sale of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to PSG in January offered temporary relief, but the club’s financial health now hinges on recouping the €75 million release clause tied to Osimhen’s contract.
The striker’s loan spell at Galatasaray reignited his market value, with 37 goals and 8 assists in 41 appearances. Yet, despite interest from clubs like Al Hilal and Liverpool, Napoli’s insistence on the full clause and Osimhen’s high wage demands—€12 million net per year—have stalled negotiations4.
‘The truth is that there is a need to collect the €75 million of the clause as soon as possible, so as to reinvest that sum on the market,’ Perillo added. ‘It is difficult to hypothesize his return to the blue shirt: the relationship with Napoli has really cracked.’
Napoli’s sporting director Giovanni Manna has promised to accelerate the sale to avoid a repeat of last summer’s drawn-out saga. However, with time slipping away and suitors hesitant, the club’s financial future may hinge on whether it can finally solve the Osimhen puzzle.
