Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen has released a statement to clear the air amid the recent controversy surrounding his relationship with Napoli.
In the statement, Osimhen reaffirms his love for the club and its fans, and denies the accusations that he has been disrespectful to Naples.
“Coming to the City of Naples in 2020 was a wonderful decision for me,” Osimhen said. “The People of Napoli have shown me so much love and kindness, and I will not allow anyone to come between us.”
“The passion of the People of Naples fuels my fire to always play with my heart and soul, and the love for the badge is unwavering as I wear it with pride.”
“The accusations against People of Naples are untrue. I have a lot of friends that are Napolitans and have become part of my family and everyday life. I appreciate Nigerians and everyone for leading their voices to support and reach out to me.”
“I’m forever grateful. Let’s support unity, respect and understanding,” the statement read
Osimhen’s statement comes after Napoli sparked controversy when they posted videos on their Tik Tok account mocking Osimhen, leading to his agent threatening to take legal action.
One of the videos showed Osimhen appealing for a penalty, with sped-up audio captioned ‘Gimme penalty please’ before showing him blazing the spot-kick wide of the post.
Another video compared Osimhen to a ‘coconut’ – widely viewed as a racial slur.
Napoli has since deleted the videos and issued a statement apologizing for any offense caused.
