Napoli President Questioned by Prosecutors Over Fraud in Victor Osimhen’s Deal

• Aurelio De Laurentiis has been questioned by FIGC prosecutors in Italy
• Napoli are being investigated over fraud in Victor Osimhen’s transfer
• Osimhen joined Napoli in 2020 from Ligue 1 outfit Lille for a hefty fee

Napoli president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, has been questioned by the Italian Football Federation as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged fraud in the Victor Osimhen deal.

The reigning Serie A champions signed the 25-year-old Nigerian striker in 2020 for an African record deal worth over €76 million but prosecutors are alleging there was false accounting in the deal.

According to Football Italia, De Laurentiis arrived at the FIGC prosecutor’s office in Rome accompanied by his lawyer where he was subjected to around 90 minutes of questioning.

The Napoli president was questioned by deputy prosecutor Giuseppe Cascini as the FIGC investigates the apparent market value of four players who made the switch to Lille as part of the Osimhen transfer.

Victor Osimhen: Napoli Striker Poised for Return From Injury After International Break

Football

Osimhen was instrumental in Napoli winning the Serie A title last season for the first time in 33 years, finishing as the Italian league's top scorer with 26 goals.

Why are Napoli being investigated?

Meanwhile, Napoli is being investigated by the FIGC for allegedly inflating the market value of four players who were part of the deal to sign Osimhen from Lille in September 2020, BEIN Sports reports.

Investigators allege that the market values for Ciro Palmieri, Orestis Karnezis, Luigi Liguori, and Claudio Manzi which totalled around €20m were inflated to help Napoli’s books.

Napoli has previously denied any wrongdoing and also released a statement on Wednesday addressing De Laurentiis’ visit to the FIGC prosecutor’s office while maintaining their innocence in the deal that brought Osimhen to the club in 2020.

Osimhen to replace Mbappe at PSG

Ex Roma star names striker that should replace Victor Osimhen at Napoli

Football

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Italian football agent, Dario Canovi, has tipped Osimhen to replace Kylian Mbappe at Paris Saint-Germain next season.

While the transfer window is still a few months away, the Nigerian's likely destination has sparked speculation among football fans around the world.

Despite interest from several elite clubs, including Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and Arsenal, PSG and Chelsea appear to be the frontrunners in the race to recruit the Super Eagles striker.