Former Napoli sporting director Pierpaolo Marino believes it’s unlikely that any Serie A club will trigger Victor Osimhen’s €75 million release clause, which he says is effectively structured for foreign clubs.
Speaking to RAI 2, Marino noted that while the clause reflects Osimhen’s global market value, it’s realistically affordable only for clubs outside of Italy.
“The release clause suits Osimhen’s international stature. He’s one of the rare players who can take a team from being non-contenders to winning trophies,” Marino said.
He also expressed skepticism about reports linking Galatasaray with a move for the Nigerian striker, suggesting the Turkish club could be serving as an intermediary for a future transfer to an Italian team.
“My concern is that Turkish clubs often offer big wages but rarely pay large transfer fees. Now there’s talk of Galatasaray triggering the clause,” he said.
“If they do, could it be a strategy to work around the domestic clause restriction and eventually bring him to Italy at the current foreign market price? That seems like a plausible theory.”
Marino hinted that a behind-the-scenes move involving an Italian giant isn’t out of the question.
“I wouldn’t be surprised to see where Osimhen ends up in a year. Could an Italian club be pulling the strings through Galatasaray? In my view, yes. It may sound far-fetched, but with interest from clubs like Juventus and Milan, it would be a clever tactic.”