Nigerian professional player and Super Eagles’ star, Victor Osimhen, was reportedly hiddened and locked in a hotel room in 2020 to stop him from joining English Premier League side, Liverpool.
Reports are that Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, had showed keen interest in the then Lille top striker but Napoli did not want him to sign for another club.
Speaking during a recent interview, Cristiano Giuntoli’s former collaborator, Giandomenico Costi told journalists how Napoli director hid the Nigerian player in a hotel for three days persuading him to sign for the Partenopei and snub the Reds.
OsunDaily News understands that Costi was instrumental to Giuntoli’s move to Carpi in 2009 and then followed the 51-year-old to the Stadio Maradona in 2018.
He was one of Giuntoli’s closest collaborators and the pair has worked together for almost nine years. He is said to be one of the architects of Napoli’s first Serie A title in 33 years, an achievement also obtained thanks to the signings of Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
“The signing of Osimhen is Giuntoli’s biggest masterpiece,” Costi told Tuttosport newspaper earlier on Tuesday.
“He [Osimhen] was locked in a hotel for three days. Giuntoli knew Liverpool were interested, and Jurgen Klopp had made his move, but Cristiano spoke to Osimhen in the hotel for three days until he convinced him to accept Napoli.
“He was full of energy. Giuntoli is a director who would call you 100 times a day,” the ex-Carpi director noted while speaking on Osimhen’s career at Napoli.
“He knew Victor very well, he had even followed him at Charleroi,” he added.
OsunDaily News understands that Osimhen is now on top priority for the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United.
The Premier League clubs are hopeful of landing a deal with Napoli for the 24-year-old striker ahead of 2023-24 season.
Also, Man United are interested in the Partenopei centre back, Kim Min-jae who joined the Partenopei in 2021 from Fenerbache for just €18m.
“With Kim, it was easier,” Costi said adding that “Cristiano didn’t need to scrutinise many defenders to understand that he was the right one.”
Giuntoli has a year left in his contract with Napoli but has reached an agreement with Juventus, so Costi was asked whether the 51-year-old is ready to move to the Allianz Stadium.
“He is, surely, but he’d be ready for any club. At Juventus, he would have the best facilities in the world. He knows football very well and he can adapt to any context which is rare for a director who hasn’t been a professional footballer at the highest levels,” Costi noted.
