26 September 2023 , 22:22
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Victor Osimhen will ‘reserve the right to take legal action’ against his own club Napoli mocked the striker on their official TikTok account.
Osimhen helped fire Napoli to a first league title in over 30 years last time out with a standout campaign in which he netted 31 goals across all competitions. However, he was the target of a bizarre video posted from the club’s own social media profile on Tuesday.
The video centred on an incident in the club’s scoreless draw against Bologna on Sunday, in which Osimhen spurned the opportunity to win the game from the penalty spot. That proved to be the game’s defining moment and was a rare miss from the Nigerian – who had bagged three goals in his first five matches this season.
Yet Napoli’s peculiar video focused on Osimhen appealing for the penalty, using a strange and rather unsettling sped-up voice – which appeared to have no context, other than to mock the striker for his attempts to persuade the decision to be given.
The video continued to show the striker blasting his effort off target and then abruptly ending. The club are yet to acknowledge the video, which was subsequently deleted, but agent Roberto Calenda has suggested that Osimhen is considering legal action against his club – an extremely unusual circumstance.
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Calenda said on Tuesday evening : “What happened today on Napoli's official profile on the TikTok platform is not acceptable. A video mocking Victor was first made public and then, but now belatedly, deleted.”
The FIFA agent added: “A serious fact that causes very serious damage to the player and adds to the treatment that the boy is suffering in the last period between media trials and fake news. We reserve the right to take legal action and any useful initiative to protect Victor.”
Osimhen's goals fired Napoli to their first Serie A title in 23 years (Getty Images)There appeared to be tension between Osimhen and new Napoli boss Rudi Garcia, who the striker was seen berating on his way off the pitch after being substituted off late on at Bologna with the visitors chasing a winner. However, an apology to Garcia had seemingly calmed down the episode.
The bizarre episode comes amid the backdrop of Osimhen – who was wanted by Manchester United, among other clubs this summer – not signing a new contract with the Neapolitans, with whom his current deal runs through to the summer of 2025.