“Osimhen’s transfer to Napoli saved Lille” – Former president Gerard Lopez confesses

Lille have been immersed in controversy since they bought the Nigerian attacker to Napoli two years in the past, however each groups proceed to insist they did nothing unsuitable

Former Lille president Gerard Lopez has confessed that the French membership was in large monetary bother earlier than Victor Osimhen’s switch charge rescued it from the deep.

Lille and Napoli have been beneath police investigations because the Ligue 1 facet sanctioned the multimillion euros transfer that took Osimhen to the Italian Serie A.

It was the costliest switch in Lille’s historical past, making Osimhen the costliest African footballer ever, taking on from Nicolas Pepe, who left for Arsenal the earlier season.

However investigations have centred round claims that Lille solely acquired €36m money plus gamers with inflated switch charges, and never €81m, as extensively reported, all in a bid to stability the books by the membership.

The Italian Soccer Affiliation dragged Napoli to court docket concerning the problem, whereas Lille had their headquarters raided.

However former Lille president Gerard Lopez insists the membership did its enterprise throughout the authorized framework.

Lopez revealed that Lille have been in a nasty monetary situation after the Covid-19 scenario in 2020 and the sale of Osimhen helped the French membership keep away from severe catastrophe.

“To say that in the present day the gamers obtained in trade aren’t value a nail doesn’t curiosity me,” Lopez instructed RMC Sport, as per Tutto Napoli.

“There have been 40 million that the membership needed to cowl for the Covid interval. I can say that that switch saved the membership; there are lots of circumstances of gamers who’re valued with excessive figures. I don’t care about that.”

In all of those, Osimhen has by no means been talked about as having executed something unsuitable.

The Tremendous Eagles star has gone about his enterprise with unbridled dedication, firing in targets from all angles for membership and nation.

Osimhen not too long ago turned solely the third Nigerian footballer in historical past to attain 4 targets in a match because the Tremendous Eagles thrashed Sao Tome and Principe in a document 10-0 win.