Inside story of how Victor Osimhen's blockbuster €200m PSG reunion with Kvaratskhelia crashed

Victor Osimhen was once tipped to join Paris Saint-Germain in a sensational package deal worth over €200 million alongside his Napoli teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. But despite widespread speculation, the move never materialised.

Now, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has revealed the behind-the-scenes reasons why the transfer collapsed.

Last summer, PSG showed strong interest in both stars after Osimhen made it clear he wanted to leave Napoli. While Kvaratskhelia eventually sealed his move to the Ligue 1 giants, Osimhen’s transfer fell apart - leading him to join Galatasaray on loan before making the move permanent.

According to a report by Football Italia, Napoli’s handling of contractual negotiations played a crucial role. De Laurentiis explained to via journalist Gianluca Di Marzio that contract disputes with Kvaratskhelia’s agent, Mamuka Jugeli, complicated the situation.

“I had to let Kvara go because his agent was threatening to use Article 17,” De Laurentiis admitted. “After his extraordinary first season, we moved quickly to negotiate a contract extension with a significant salary increase and a large signing bonus. But his agent had other plans.”

The president added that Jugeli stalled negotiations by falsely claiming Napoli’s sporting director Giuntoli had promised payments that were never made.

“It was a lie, easy to disprove,” De Laurentiis said. “I could have sold Kvara at that moment. PSG had offered over €200 million for both Kvara and Osimhen.”

The Georgian winger and Nigerian striker were decisive in Napoli’s historic Serie A title triumph in the 2022-23 season, the club’s first Scudetto in 33 years, with Osimhen emerging as the league’s top scorer.

This revelation sheds light on the challenges behind football’s biggest saga involving a Nigerian, explaining why one of the most anticipated deals in recent memory ultimately fell through, leaving Osimhen in limbo.