Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis will face criminal trial over alleged financial irregularities in the 2020 transfer of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen from French club Lille.
The high-profile case, scheduled to begin on December 2, 2026, could result in potential jail time for the influential Italian football executive if found guilty of false accounting charges.
The Core Allegations
Prosecutors allege that De Laurentiis and his associate Andrea Chiavelli structured Osimhen's transfer, valued at approximately €80 million, using artificially inflated valuations of four players included in the deal.
The players in question - Greek goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis and young talents Claudio Manzi, Ciro Palmieri, and Luigi Liguori - were reportedly assigned values far exceeding their actual market worth.
Investigators claim this maneuver was designed to strengthen Napoli's financial position during the challenging economic period of the COVID-19 pandemic, constituting false accounting under Italian law.
Legal Battle Intensifies
De Laurentiis' legal team has vehemently denied the allegations, describing the indictment as astonishing and arguing that financial police misinterpreted accounting regulations.
In a joint statement, lawyers Gaetano Scalise, Fabio Fulgeri, and Lorenzo Contrada maintained that Napoli gained no financial advantage from the transaction and criticized Italy's preliminary hearing system as lacking transparency.
The defense contends that player valuations are inherently subjective rather than fraudulent, setting the stage for a contentious legal battle.
Sporting Impact and Osimhen's Legacy
Despite the serious legal implications for De Laurentiis, Napoli faces no sporting sanctions from the proceedings. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) previously reviewed the case in 2022 and closed the sporting investigation, ruling that the alleged irregularities didn't affect competition integrity.
Victor Osimhen, who recently departed Napoli for Galatasaray, played a crucial role in the club's recent success, leading them to their first Serie A title in 33 years during the 2022/23 season while finishing as the league's top scorer.
The Nigerian striker had previously revealed that he felt pressured into signing for Napoli while his father was on his deathbed, adding another layer of controversy to the transfer now under legal scrutiny.
As the trial date approaches, the football world watches closely as one of Serie A's most prominent club presidents fights to clear his name while maintaining his position at the helm of the Italian club.
