Napoli have released a statement in response to Victor Osimhen’s agent threatening to sue the club. The striker appeared to be surprisingly mocked by the Serie A side’s own TikTok account after missing a penalty in a recent draw against Bologna, and the player and his camp were left less than impressed.
Napoli insisted that they “did not intend to cause offence” to Osimhen after a bizarre video was posted on social media – with the club appearing to joke about their striker missing a penalty.
In an attempt to clarify the situation, Napoli’s statement read: “Napoli, in order to avoid any exploitation on the topic, specifies that it never intended to offend or make fun of Victor Osimhen, the club’s technical asset. To demonstrate this, during the summer training camp, the club firmly rejected every offer received for the striker’s transfer abroad.
“It is a common experience that on social media, in particular on TikTok, expressive language has always been created with lightness and creativity, without having had, in the case involving Osimhen, any intention of mockery or derision. However, if Victor had perceived any offense towards him, that is not what the club intended.”
Despite the video later being deleted, his agent Roberto Calenda threatened legal action against the club. “What happened today on Napoli’s official profile on the TikTok platform is not acceptable,” Calenda said on Tuesday. “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.”
