Former Napoli coach Rudi Garcia has criticized club president Aurelio De Laurentiis over the handling of Victor Osimhen’s [/b]contract.
Garcia accused him of mismanagement that strained the striker’s relationship with the club.
Osimhen, a key figure in Napoli’s historic Serie A title win last season, became embroiled in a contentious contract saga last summer.
Despite significant bids from Chelsea and Al-Ahli for the Nigerian striker, De Laurentiis refused to budge on his €130 million valuation, creating tension between the club and the player.
After months of uncertainty, Osimhen ultimately extended his contract by one year, pushing its expiration to 2026, but the situation has left lasting damage to the player’s relationship with the club.
Garcia, who was dismissed as Napoli coach earlier this season, has now spoken out about the situation, revealing his frustrations with the handling of the contract saga.
In an interview cited by Haber Sari Kirmizi, he said, “Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis doesn’t understand football.
“Contracts for players like Victor Osimhen and Piotr Zielinski should have been renewed long before last summer.”
Garcia further accused De Laurentiis of excessive interference, revealing that his involvement went beyond club matters. He added, “He meddled in everything from tactics to player preferences, and I was made to pay the price for telling him to stay in his lane,” the 60-year-old said.
He also claimed that the club’s mismanagement led to dissatisfaction among players and staff, resulting in instability at Napoli. This, according to Garcia, was one of the reasons for his eventual dismissal as coach.
Despite his contract extension, Osimhen is widely expected to leave Napoli in the future. However, a January transfer is now unlikely as he focuses on the remainder of the season.
