Italian prosecutors have requested a trial for Napoli and the club’s owner, Aurelio De Laurentiis, over alleged false accounting linked to player transfers, including that of Victor Osimhen. The investigation focuses on signings like Kostas Manolas and Osimhen, with concerns raised over the legitimacy of the deals. De Laurentiis and Napoli are facing accusations of filing falsified accounts between 2019 and 2021.
The €70 million transfer of Osimhen in 2020, who is currently on loan at Galatasaray, has come under scrutiny, especially regarding the movement of four players to Lille as part of the deal. Napoli and De Laurentiis’ legal representatives have expressed disbelief at the trial request, citing evidence supporting their adherence to accounting regulations.
A decision on whether the alleged offenses warrant a criminal trial will be made by a preliminary hearing judge within six months. Despite this, a source within Napoli has mentioned that the evidence in the trial request has been cleared by disciplinary authorities at Italy’s football federation.
Osimhen played a pivotal role in Napoli’s Serie A title victory, scoring 26 goals in the campaign. However, he expressed a desire to play in the English Premier League and was subsequently loaned to Galatasaray. While Napoli and De Laurentiis were acquitted in a previous probe, Juventus faced repercussions for manipulating transfers to inflate their financial position.
Juventus officials, including former chairman Andrea Agnelli, are awaiting a decision on potential criminal charges following a separate investigation into the club’s financial dealings.