It has been claimed a certain African superstar was deliberately locked inside a hotel for three days to prevent him from joining Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.
Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen is regarded as one of the best strikers in Europe today, having helped guide Napoli to their first Serie A title since 1990 this season.
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With 28 goals and five assists in 36 matches across all competitions this campaign, the forward's stock has risen significantly, with Transfermarkt now valuing him at €100 million (R2 billion), the first African footballer to reach this valuation since Mohamed Salah in 2021.
Although he is now on the radar of giant clubs such as Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, the 24-year-old is not unfamiliar with interest from top clubs, with Liverpool believed to have previously had their sights set on him before he joined his current side in Italy.
He arrived in Naples in September 2020 on the back of a productive season in Ligue 1 with Lille, and his €75 million (R1.5 million) transfer remains the most expensive signing in the Serie A club's history.
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However, Giandomenico Costi, who worked as an advisor at Napoli between 2018 and 2021, has now revealed that Gli Azzurri sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli resorted to unusual, and drastic, methods in order to beat the Reds to Osimhen's signature almost three years ago.
"The signing of Osimhen is Giuntoli's biggest masterpiece," Costi told Tuttosport.
"He [Osimhen] was locked in a hotel for three days. Giuntoli knew Liverpool were interested, and Jurgen Klopp had made his move.
"However, 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.
"But he knew Victor very well, he had even followed him at Charleroi."
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Earlier this month, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis insisted that the centre-forward is going nowhere in the next transfer window, amid growing interest from Europe's elite.
Asked if Osimhen will move on in the coming months, De Laurentiis told Rai Sport show Cinque Minuti: "I will not sell Victor Osimhen this summer – no way!"
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