Napoli President to stand trial over alleged false accounting in Victor Osimhen transfer

Napoli President to stand trial over alleged false accounting in Victor Osimhen transfer

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has been ordered to stand trial over allegations of false accounting connected to the high-profile transfer of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen from Lille.

According to the Rome Prosecutor’s Office, Napoli is accused of generating artificial capital gains by allegedly inflating the valuations of youth players involved in the Osimhen deal. The indictment also includes club CEO Andrea Chiavelli, with both executives and the club itself expected to appear before the court on December 2, 2026, the date fixed by the preliminary hearing judge.

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The investigation focuses on financial operations from 2019 to 2021, scrutinising how Napoli recorded the transfers of Victor Osimhen and Greek defender Kostas Manolas. Prosecutors believe the club boosted its balance sheet by assigning exaggerated values to several lesser-known players, resulting in what they describe as unjustified capital gains.

Despite the criminal case, Napoli faces no immediate danger of sporting sanctions. The FIGC Federal Prosecutor previously closed a related inquiry after determining that no new evidence had emerged to justify reopening disciplinary proceedings.

Further details from the probe reveal intercepted communications obtained by Italy’s Guardia di Finanza. In one wiretap, a club official allegedly cautioned colleagues to avoid leaving a digital trail, saying: “You must not write anything… leave no trace in emails.”

The trial is expected to draw significant attention given Osimhen’s status as one of Europe’s top forwards and the ongoing debate over capital gains fraud in football transfers.

Napoli President to stand trial over alleged false accounting in Victor Osimhen transfer