I’m sorry Osimhen left —  Napoli legend says Napoli have a top striker in Lukaku to replace Victor

Victor Osimhen (Photo Credit: Osimhen/IG)

I’m sorry Osimhen left — Napoli legend says Napoli have a top striker in Lukaku to replace Victor

Faruq Ibrahim 22:00 - 13.09.2024

Former Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik discussed Victor Osimhen's exit from Naple.

Napoli legend Marek Hamsik has weighed in on the circumstances that led to Victor Osimhen's unceremonious exit from the Partenopei. 

The Slovakian football legend played for Napoli from 2007-2019, leaving just before Osimhen joined Napoli for a club-record transfer fee from Lille. 

While he did not share a dressing room with the Nigerian, Hamsik is Partenopei through and through and still follows the club's happenings, with the latest major story being the Osimhen transfer saga. 

Victor Osimhen: Napoli's estranged hero

The former Lille man led Napoli to their first Scudetto in 33 years, a feat not even the great Hamsik could manage. 

One season later, however, his relationship with the club has fractured beyond repair. The Cappocannoiere-winning striker tabled a transfer request to the club as he sought greener pastures, and the heat of negotiations throughout the transfer window seemed to have melted off the goodwill between both parties.

 Hence, when he could not manage to secure a move within the timeframe of the European window, Napoli refused to return him to the fold, prompting a loan move to Galatasaray.

Osimhen in training |Photo Credit: X/@SSE_NGA
Osimhen in training |Photo Credit: X/@SSE_NGA

What Hamsik said 

The ex-Napoli captain has suggested that the Nigerian did not leave the club for football-related reasons; however, he is happy with his replacement, Romelu Lukaku. 

“I’m sorry Osimhen left, but it’s probably not entirely related to football,” he said. “I am not involved in this, and Napoli signed a valuable replacement. Lukaku is a top striker and can easily score 20 goals.”