Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has remarkably stated that he will not sign African players for the club unless they agree to not play in the African Cup of Nations.
The 73-year-old says he ‘loves’ Napoli’s African players, but he rues having to pay them so much for the amount of time they are away.
‘I told them, “lads, don’t talk to me about Africans anymore!”‘ said De Laurentiis during a streamed event.
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He further said ” I love them, but either they sign something confirming they’ll back out of playing the Africa Cup of Nations, or otherwise between that tournament, the World Cup qualifiers in South America, these players are never available!
The Serie A side’s star striker is Victor Osimhen, but he did not play for Nigeria at the AFCON earlier this year.
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Napoli announced a bout of COVID would keep the prolific forward from representing the Super Eagles, but his withdrawal from selection and the timing of it raised a few eyebrows in Nigeria.
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