Former Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye has taken a swipe at Napoli over the unusual clause inserted into Victor Osimhen’s proposed permanent transfer to Galatasaray, Footynaija.com reports.
The clause, which he describes as something he has never encountered in his 20-year career as a professional footballer, blocks Galatasaray from selling Osimhen to any Italian club for two full years, even if a huge offer comes in from Serie A giants.
Napoli are said to have insisted on this “anti-Serie A” condition as part of a €75 million deal which reportedly includes €40 million upfront and the rest payable by 2026.
Ideye, who won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria and now plays for Enyimba, believes the clause raises serious questions. He wondered why Napoli would go to such lengths to prevent a player they no longer want from returning to their own league.
“In my 20 years of professional football, I have never seen or heard this type of clause,” Ideye wrote on X.
“Gala can’t sell a player they bought for 2 years to an Europe club? What is Napoli scared of?”
While he mistakenly mentioned “Europe” in ..., reports confirm the restriction specifically targets Italian clubs.
Napoli’s full conditions for the deal go beyond just the Italian embargo. The contract also includes a 10 percent sell-on clause, meaning Napoli will benefit from any future sale. Galatasaray initially pushed back on the payment structure but later agreed to pay €40M now, and €35M later.
Osimhen scored 37 goals in 41 games on loan at Galatasaray and played a key role in their domestic double, winning both the Turkish Süper Lig and Turkish Cup. He also broke club records, became the highest-scoring foreign player in a single season, and lifted the Golden Boot in Turkey with 26 league goals.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis reportedly fears Osimhen could return to Italy and haunt his former club, especially given the interest from the likes of Juventus and Inter Milan.