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Osimhen’s Transfer Saga: 7 Reasons Napoli Want To Ruin Super Eagles Star’s Career

The story of Victor Osimhen and Napoli is a tragedy of two lovers whose flame of passion has dulled into contempt for each other. One summer, they were parading the petal-strewn streets of Naples arm-in-arm, cuddling the Scudetto to the cheers of millions of fans intoxicated by their fairy-tale love story.

A year later, they are back on the same streets but with shrapnel of their battered love littering the ground. Silence replaces the noise from crazed fans as both parties bid farewell after weeks of emotional blackmail and brutal brinksmanship.

It appeared Osimhen was born to play for Napoli. His story mirrored that of the club: a vessel of enormous passion and fury destined for great achievement, which once fell on tough times, and was on the rise to conquer all that was predestined.

Osimhen was predicted to lead the new generation of African football talents after he won the Golden Boot at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup. But a couple of regretful transfer moves derailed his rise until he joined Lille.

Napoli was one of the corridors through which the world saw Diego Maradona’s greatness when he led the club to two Scudetto titles in 1987 and 1990. The club then fell on hard times and struggled against the big boys of Serie A. Over the following decade, Napoli repeatedly aimed for the big prize but missed.

EXPOSED: Untold Bribery Scandal In Nigerian Football Teams’ Selection

At this juncture, Osimhen and Napoli blended their struggles into one for €70 million. They piggybacked each other to tick off elusive goals: Napoli won the Serie A for the first time in 33 years, and Osimhen finished as the league’s top scorer and was named the eighth-best player in the world.
Here are seven sin the Nigerian might have committed that triggered many delays in his move away from Napoli:

1. FALL OUT WITH RUDI GARCIA
After Napoli won the Serie A title in the 2022/23 season, Luciano Spalleti left the club to lead the Italian national team.
Rudi Garcia was appointed the new coach, but the French manager had a mixed start. There were also reports of rancour in the dressing room.
The discord became public when Napoli played Bologna in the Serie A in September 2023. Osimhen lost a penalty kick and was substituted by the coach in the 86th minute. The striker reacted angrily to the substitution and yelled at Garcia over the decision.
The game ended goalless, and Osimhen’s attitude was reflected in much of the conversation in the Italian media.

2. MOCKERY VIDEO ON NAPOLI’S TIKTOK

Another controversial incident occurred in the wake of the touchline row with Garcia.
A video that appeared to be mocking Osimhen was uploaded on Napoli’s official TikTok page.
In the clip, a sped-up version of the striker’s penalty miss against Bologna was mashed with high-pitch baby audio sound.
Several football lovers condemned Napoli for uploading the video.
In reaction to the footage, Roberto Calenda, Osimhen’s agent, threatened legal action against Napoli.
Consequently, Osimhen also deleted all posts about Napoli from his Instagram page.

3. EXTENDED NEGOTIATION TO RENEW CONTRACT WITH NAPOLI
Amid all the controversy, Osimhen was yet to extend his contract with the club. The clock was ticking desperately for the club as the player only had one year left on his contract.
Aurelio De Laurentiis, Napoli owner, was keen on committing Osimhen to more years at the club to hold leverage over the striker’s admirers across Europe and beyond.
In October 2023, Napoli, in a statement, accused Osimhen of changing his mind after verbally agreeing to sign a new deal.

The repressed animosity between the two parties was not quelled until December 2023, when Osimhen penned a new deal.
The new deal reportedly doubled his salary to €10 million a season, with a release clause of around €130 million.
However, the negotiating gimmicks left an uneasy crack in the relationship between both parties.

4. OUTBURST AGAINST KVARATSKHELIA’S AGENT
In January 2024, Mamuka Jugeli, agent to Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, a teammate of Osimhen at Napoli, accused the Nigerian of a “lack of ambition”.
The agent insinuated that Osimhen is solely driven by money and the striker will soon move to Saudi Arabia — adding that his client is focused on top European clubs.
The comment elicited an angry response from Osimhen, who posted an expletive-laden post berating the Georgian agent on his Instagram page.
He described the agent as “a piece of filth and a disgrace” and lambasted his “sense of reasoning”.

5. TRANSFER REQUEST AND CONTE’S COMMENTS
Despite an injury-hindered season, Osimhen finished the season with 17 goals in all competitions for Napoli. The club failed to defend the Scudetto and were 10th in the league at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

Osimhen handed over a transfer request to the club as the summer transfer window opened.
Shortly after, Napoli appointed Antonio Conte as manager, and the Italian repeatedly said that Osimhen would not be part of his plans for the season.
The club looked for a replacement for Osimhen and eventually signed Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea.

6. CHELSEA AND AL AHLI DEALS

Chelsea were among the foremost admirers of Osimhen, and the London club looked keen to sign the striker this summer.

However, both parties failed to see the move through due to disagreement over Osimhen’s wage demand.
The Blues reportedly offered the striker a €4m initial annual salary, a fraction of what he earns at Napoli.
Al Ahli were also interested in getting Osimhen into the Saudi Pro League.
Napoli had initially accepted a £67.3 million (€80m) offer from the Arabian club for the striker, who would have earned £33.6 million (€40m) a season.
But the Italian club reportedly demanded another €5 million added to the deal, prompting Al Ahli to look elsewhere and sign Ivan Tooney from Brentford.

7. NAPOLI EXCLUDE OSIMHEN FROM THE SERIE A SQUAD

Following the collapse of the potential transfer deals, Napoli axed Osimhen from its first team.
He was not registered for the 2022/25 Serie A season, and his jersey number was initially administered to Lukaku.

EXPOSED: How Napoli plotting To Ruin Victor Osimhen’s Career Over €75 million Transfer Saga

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He Gives Us Energy: William Saliba Hails Mastermind Behind Arsenal’s Defensive Dominance

William Saliba and Gabriel Heinze during Arsenal training session

Arsenal’s defensive dominance in the Premier League has a new driving force behind it, according to William Saliba. The French centre-back has hailed Gabriel Heinze, Mikel Arteta’s new first-team coach, as the mastermind behind the Gunners’ impressive backline.

Since joining Arteta’s staff in July, Heinze has brought his trademark intensity and energy to Arsenal’s training ground, helping a side that has conceded just seven goals in 14 Premier League matches — the best defensive record in the division.

Heinze’s Influence On The Gunners

Speaking to the Men in Blazers Media Network, Saliba described Heinze as a constant presence around the defenders:

“Gabriel Heinze helps a lot, especially the defenders. He gives us energy because he’s always talking, always loud — even in training when we do simple things, he’s always loud. Even for nothing, he will be loud! He talks a lot and it’s good to have him close to us. I think this guy can help us a lot.”

Saliba’s comments paint a vivid picture of Heinze as a demanding coach, whose booming voice and relentless standards lift the entire defensive unit.

Arteta added context to Heinze’s appointment, noting their long-standing friendship and mutual trust:

“He’s a winner. He’s won in many clubs he’s been at. We’ve known each other for 23 years, I’m very close to that. It brings something extra.”

He praised Heinze’s tactical insight and complementary personality:

“We complement each other really well, and everybody brings a different insight, a different character, a different personality, to the table that makes us a much better team.”

A Winning Pedigree

Heinze’s coaching approach is rooted in a winning playing career. From PSG to Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Marseille, the former defender was known for hard tackling and relentless duels. Since retiring in 2014, he’s built a coaching résumé across South America and the U.S., including stints at Godoy Cruz, Argentinos Juniors, Velez Sarsfield, Atlanta United, and Newell’s Old Boys.

Testing Defensive Resilience

Heinze’s influence comes at a time when Arsenal’s defense has been hit by injuries. Key centre-backs Saliba and Gabriel have been sidelined, forcing Arteta to deploy makeshift partnerships like Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, and Jurrien Timber. Despite the reshuffling, Arsenal still secured a 2-0 victory over Brentford, proving the defensive organisation and resilience Heinze has instilled.

Arteta commented on the injury situation:

“He (Saliba) had a little niggle, so I think it’s going to be a matter of days. Big Gabi is doing very well as well, but that’s weeks as well.”

With Heinze bringing energy, intensity, and tactical sharpness, Arsenal’s defensive stability continues to impress, even amid injury crises — a testament to the Argentine coach’s impact on the Premier League leaders.

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Arne Slot Confirms Mohamed Salah Is ‘Always In My Mind’ Amid Liverpool Absence

Mohamed Salah sitting on Liverpool bench during Premier League match

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has addressed the speculation surrounding Mohamed Salah, admitting that the Egypt forward is “always in my mind” despite being left out of the last two starting line-ups.

Salah, 33, has had a slow start to the Premier League season, scoring just four goals, and has played only 45 minutes across the last two games. The forward’s omission from the starting XI has sparked talk of a potential Saudi Pro League move, though Salah recently signed a two-year contract extension with Liverpool in April.

Slot Explains Salah Situation

“I think for every player in my mind can start and Mo is an exceptional player for us,” Slot said. “He is always in my mind to either start or to come off the bench.”

Salah played a starring role last season, scoring 29 goals as Liverpool lifted the Premier League in Slot’s first campaign. However, he was an unused substitute in Liverpool’s 2-1 win at West Ham and again came off the bench in the 1-1 draw at home to Sunderland.

Slot acknowledged the chatter around Salah’s absence, saying:

“The chatter, yes because he deserves that, he has been so influential for me and six or seven years. It’s completely normal people talk about it when he isn’t playing.”

Van Dijk Weighs In

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk also commented, highlighting that no player at the club has “unlimited credit”:

“He is still a fantastic player and we still have to remember there is a reason why he has been so successful at the club and we have to respect that. I need him around as one of the leaders. He’s disappointed but that’s absolutely normal. It’s always been the case that no one is undroppable.”

This statement underscores the high standards at Liverpool, even for one of their most prolific stars.

Liverpool’s Current Form

The Reds are currently ninth in the Premier League, 11 points behind leaders Arsenal, having won just two of their nine league games. Salah’s presence will be crucial as Liverpool look to regain momentum, with their next game set against Leeds United.

While fans debate Salah’s place in the squad, both Slot and Van Dijk emphasize that he remains central to Liverpool’s ambitions, both on the pitch and in the dressing room.

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Roy Keane Blasts ‘Frightened’ Manchester United After West Ham Draw

Roy Keane reacting angrily during a football analysis session

Manchester United thought they had the job wrapped up at Old Trafford… until they didn’t.

Diogo Dalot’s tidy finish just before the hour mark looked like the moment that would push the Red Devils to a much-needed victory. But in classic 2025 Manchester United fashion, control slipped, intensity dipped, and West Ham pounced.

And of course—when things go wrong—Roy Keane is never far from the verbal action.

“They Weren’t Nasty Enough!” – Keane Fires Shots

After the 1-1 draw, Keane wasted zero time calling out what he sees as the real issue at United: timidity.

According to him, United “took their foot off the gas” right after scoring. Against a team in the bottom three, he expected more authority, more aggression, and definitely more hunger.

Instead, what he saw was a team “almost frightened” of finishing the job.

He slammed the players for hiding when pressure kicked in, criticized their lack of killer instinct, and even called out the relaxed body language during substitutions.

In typical Keane fashion, the message was simple:
United should never be this soft.

Amorim Also Frustrated: “The Game Was Ours To Win”

Manager Ruben Amorim didn’t sugarcoat anything either.

While he didn’t go full-Keane, he admitted:

United lost control after scoring
They failed to win second balls
They should have killed the match earlier
The inconsistency is becoming a real problem

For a team chasing European places, three draws in five games simply isn’t good enough.

West Ham Deserved Their Point

To be fair, West Ham didn’t just sit back and wait. They fought, pressed, countered, and eventually got their reward when Soungoutou Magassa slotted home the 83rd-minute equaliser.

United had late chances, but the story of their season resurfaced again:
moments created, moments wasted.

Where Do United Go From Here?

Sitting eighth on the table, United’s inconsistency continues to be their biggest opponent. Keane believes the team lacks bite. Amorim believes the team lacks control.

Fans believe the team lacks… well, everything except drama.

What’s clear is this: until United find their identity and intensity, nights like this will keep happening.