epa10532116 Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (L) interacts with teammate Victor Osimhen after scoring the 0-2 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Torino FC and SSC Napoli, in Turin, Italy, 19 March 2023. EPA-EFE/ALESSANDRO DI MARCO
Antonio Conte has effectively confirmed the reports in the summer were true, so Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen both wanted to leave, but Napoli delayed the moves and could miss out on a lot of money.
The Partenopei won the Scudetto in 2023, but Luciano Spalletti left and their next season was a disaster, going through several coaches and finishing 10th in Serie A, failing to qualify for Europe.
The club hired Conte and hoped his arrival would be enough to convince their star names to remain,
Osimhen made it very clear in pre-season that he intended to leave Napoli and did not take part in any pre-season friendly matches, eventually failing to find a suitable buyer by deadline day.
Stuck in a no-win situation, Osimhen was loaned to Galatasaray – as the Turkish transfer market was still open – with the hope he would not further lose value and be able to find a club willing to invest.
As for Kvaratskhelia, there had been multiple reports in the summer that he too had asked to leave, but that Conte demanded at least one of their star men remain while negotiations continued over a new contract.
In his statements to DAZN this evening, the coach effectively confirmed this was true, confessing that he had hoped to convince the Georgia international into changing his mind.
Conte reveals Kvaratskhelia background at Napoli
“I spoke about disappointment not towards the player, not towards the club, but towards myself, because in six months I failed to change the situation. I do not say Kvara or the club let me down, I always take responsibility for my actions, I don’t put it on someone else,” said Conte.
“I thought I could have a different impact in these six months, but I realised we were right back where we started from. I want to make that clear, because I saw some headlines today saying ‘Conte let down by Kvara.’ I am not let down by Kvara.
“I believe a coach should help a club to make decisions and advise on what players to sign. When I realise that I was unable to make a difference here, that is my disappointment. I take nothing from Khvicha, he’s a good lad, but everyone has to decide their own destiny, just as the club has to make its decisions.
“Maybe I was a little presumptuous, because I thought that I could have a stronger impact. I couldn’t do it. It’s a pity, because this is a great player, but we also have to accept reality.”
If Napoli had been open to selling Kvaratskhelia and Osimhen together last…