Victor Osimhen’s persistent problems with agents could bring down a blooming career

The most effective is but to return from the Nigeria worldwide, however looming darkness of angle is threatening to solid a shadow on his flourishing profession

Ignore CAF’s controversial 30-man shortlist that excluded the Napoli striker from amongst Africa’s greatest gamers: Victor Osimhen is among the continent’s most interesting strikers in the mean time.

The younger man’s identify typically options prominently within the checklist of footballers linked with a number of the wealthiest golf equipment on this planet.

Osimhen can be the costliest African star on the planet, with the deal that took him from Lille to Napoli costing the Neapolitans a document €81 million (together with performance-related bonuses).

Two years after that deal was signed and sealed, although, it continues to lift some questions at house and overseas – first on his standing as a very international footballer and secondly, having sufficient character to personal the tag.

The ugly mess overseas

Osimhen’s transfer to Napoli has been beneath police scrutiny since particulars of the transaction made it to the general public eye.

Police are investigating allegations of connivance between Napoli and Lille to inflate the switch price for Osimhen. The Italian giants and the previous French champions have had their varied head places of work raided.

The Italian Soccer Affiliation even dragged Napoli to court docket concerning the difficulty earlier this yr.

Nonetheless, the Neapolitans and Lille keep that they haven’t dedicated any wrongdoing.

In all of this, Osimhen has not been accused of any offense.

The turbulent storm on the house entrance

Again in Nigeria, although, one other fallout from that Napoli dealings is threatening to tug the Osimhen household aside and drag Victor right into a court docket dispute.

Osita Okolo, Osimhen’s brother-in-law, is elevating mud that the previous Lille lad cheated him out of his dues from Osimhen’s swap to Italy.

Urged by his elder sister Esther, Osimhen appointed Esther’s husband, Osita, as his supervisor. The Napoli deal was within the pipeline on the time, and Osimhen had sensationally changed his long-time agent Jean-Gérard Benoit Czajka with Italian dealer William D’Avilla of DW Sports activities.

Osita claims an settlement was in place to obtain as his personal dues a sure share of D’Avilla’s fee.

He admits to receiving an preliminary installment cost of 450,000 {dollars} and one other 91,000 euros.

The connection between Osimhen and his brother-in-law, nonetheless, broke down shortly after.

And Osimhen allegedly tricked Osita into releasing the cash ($450k and €90k) in his possession and, after that, vowed to not pay him a dime.

Osita and his spouse Esther (Osimhen’s sister) have been distraught by the event.

When elders within the Osimhen household reportedly failed of their efforts to resolve the household dispute, the estranged couple sued Osimhen in court docket.

Busy at work terrorising defenders in Italy, Osimhen reportedly didn’t honour any of the Ikeja Excessive Court docket summonses.

The general public spat

With the case making no significant headway in court docket, Osita and his spouse took the excessive street.

The couple reached out to widespread media persona Daddy Freeze and laid their grievances naked to the general public.

Osita accused Osimhen of refusing to handle his (Osimhen’s) household when apparently cash is now not his drawback.

Within the chat that has since gone viral, Osita lamented: “The cash was paid into my firm account, however my best mistake was to provide it to him (Osimhen) when he requested for it with the promise he would pay again.

“I labored with him with my open thoughts, not realizing he had a sinister plan in opposition to me.

“That’s the best mistake I made in my life.”

Esther Okolo, with tears, added: “I don’t need an issue; all I would like is that Victor ought to give my husband his cash as a result of I do know my husband labored for cash.

“Proof dey (translated: there may be proof), however my household doesn’t need to see the reality.

“He’s preventing for his proper; he ought to give my husband what belongs to him.”
Osimhen’s response

The Okolo couple hoped that their interview with Daddy Freeze would provoke a response from Osimhen.

However the 23-year-old is but to provide his aspect of the story.

Osimhen’s points with brokers

Osimhen’s disagreement with Osita Okolo will not be the primary time the previous Wolfsburg signing would disengage an agent beneath monetary clouds.

His first agent Jean-Gérard Benoit Czajka additionally took Osimhen to court docket after the teen changed the dealer with William D’Avilla shortly earlier than the transfer to Napoli was accomplished.

Benoit Czajka had been with Osimhen lengthy earlier than he helped Nigeria win the 2015 FIFA u-17 World Cup.

However the Spaniard was sacked ‘with out trigger’, and he duly took the matter to court docket. Benoit Czajka was later compensated out of court docket.

Osimhen has since dismissed Benoit Czajka’s replacements, William D’Avilla and Osita Okolo.

Roberto Calenda is now the Nigerian striker’s consultant, his fourth agent in lower than three years.

Osimhen positive likes flipping brokers.

Darkish clouds over a blossoming profession

Osimhen is destined for an incredible profession. The 23-year-old will at some point play for one of many greatest golf equipment within the English Premier League.

It’s, nonetheless, essential that the teen, as he heads to the highest, remembers to handle members of the family and the individuals who deal with his enterprise.

Windfall has been sort to him, and plenty of of his kinfolk will look to him to assist drag them out of poverty. He can not assist everybody, sure, however household is sacrilege.

And so is an agent’s fee.

Avoiding that pitfall will let Osimhen consider the one factor that may take him farther than any Nigerian earlier than him – scoring a great deal of targets for Europe’s greatest golf equipment.