Boluwatife Kehinde
Napoli and Lille OSC find themselves under intense scrutiny as a legal investigation unfolds, spearheaded by prosecutors in Rome probing alleged financial misconduct linked to the 2020 transfer of Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen, which was reported to be worth €70 million.
According to an in-depth report by La Repubblica, as cited by Football Italia, prosecutors Lorenzo Del Giudice and Giorgio Ornano have formally initiated proceedings to bring Napoli’s President Aurelio De Laurentiis and CEO Andrea Chiavelli to trial.
The investigation centers on suspicions of financial irregularities surrounding the transfer, focusing particularly on accusations of inflating player valuations to comply with financial regulations.
The Rome Tribunal has revisited the inquiry into potential false accounting practices, examining allegations that both clubs may have exaggerated the values of less prominent players as part of the transaction framework.
Documents collected through the investigation, including emails and WhatsApp messages, suggest that high-ranking officials at both Napoli and Lille were cognisant of the risks and ethical concerns surrounding the structuring of the deal.
Initially, Napoli reportedly set a valuation of €50 million for Osimhen.
However, the final agreement swelled to €70 million, with an additional €20 million attributed to the inclusion of player exchanges that raised eyebrows.
These fees were connected to goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis, alongside three youth players—Luigi Liguori, Claudio Manzi, and Ciro Palmieri—whose individual valuations were marked at €4 million, €4 million, and €7 million, respectively.
Meanwhile, key revelations from La Repubblic indicate that Lille had proposed an effective sale price of €50 million for Osimhen, which was artificially supplemented by the inflated transfer fees allocated to the other players.
Notably, none of the youth players involved in this arrangement saw any actual playtime with Lille, as they were loaned out to lower-division teams prior to being released, thereby raising significant questions about the legitimacy of their valuations in the context of this transfer.
Internal communications within Napoli have surfaced, demonstrating a palpable sense of concern regarding the authenticity of the transaction.
In a correspondence dated July 17, 2020, General Manager Andrea Chiavelli, expressed notable anxiety, questioning the merits of the proposal and hinting at doubts surrounding its validity.
This atmosphere of unease extended among staff members, as evident in further exchanges where an assistant advised against documenting discussions, favoring verbal communication to avoid leaving a paper trail of potentially incriminating conversations.
Lille’s management also seemed aware of the potential fallout from the deal. An internal email from General Manager Julien Mordacq cautioned the then-CEO, Marc Ingla, about the risks associated with the transaction, highlighting that any irregularities deemed “strange” could trigger investigations into the transfer agreements.
Further communications from former Lille President Gérard Lopez revealed discussions aimed at adjusting player valuations to facilitate the transaction. His remarks indicated a willingness to manipulate figures to navigate around obstacles and secure a favorable deal.
Despite the troubling findings emerging from the investigation, it is pivotal to note that Napoli currently does not face any sporting sanctions. This is largely due to an earlier decision by the Italian Football Federation’s prosecutor, Giuseppe Chiné, who cleared the club of any wrongdoing in a separate probe.
Nonetheless, the criminal case remains active, as the Rome Tribunal assesses whether sufficient evidence exists to initiate a trial for false accounting related to this high-profile transfer.
In their requests, prosecutors Del Giudice and Ornano are not only targeting the intricacies of the Osimhen transfer but also examining financial dealings that span across 2019, 2020, and 2021.
The ongoing investigation underscores the significance of the 2020 transfer, which stands out as one of the most remarkable transactions involving an African player, emphasising its considerable implications in the world of football finance.
