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August 31, 2024

Video: McTominay and Gilmour Thriving at Napoli – Serie A

Billy Gilmour arrived by private jet and will be introduced to Napoli fans this evening at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Meanwhile, Scott McTominay is already settling in and enjoying his time at Napoli.

The two Scotland internationals completed their transfers on deadline day. Gilmour joined Napoli from Brighton & Hove Albion for €14m, with an additional €5m in potential add-ons. McTominay was signed by Manchester United for €30.5m.

McTominay and Gilmour Add Scottish Flair to Napoli

The Brighton player needed to complete his medical examination in England to finalize the transfer. He arrived this afternoon at Capodichino Airport via a private jet from London.

Napoli is set to face Parma tonight at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. The 23-year-old will be in attendance at the match and is expected to be introduced to the fans before the game begins by the renowned stadium DJ and announcer, ‘Decibel’ Bellini.

Fans were waiting outside the hotel but only got his brother instead.

In the meantime, McTominay is adjusting beautifully to life in Naples. He has been taking selfies with fans, shopping, and soaking in the local sights and weather, which starkly contrast to what he is used to in Scotland or Manchester—particularly the stunning view of Vesuvius from the beach.

Osimhen, Napoli, and Chelsea: Shared Responsibility for the Fallout

Victor Osimhen and Napoli are stuck with each other, but this was an avoidable situation created by greed, unrealistic expectations and bad timing from everyone – including Chelsea – writes Susy Campanale.

As the transfer window entered its final weeks, the prospect of everything unraveling, leaving the club and the player without a resolution, seemed like a worst-case scenario. While it is hard to view a player making nearly €11m a season as truly being at a loss, it was still far from the desired outcome. The most frustrating aspect is that this situation could have been easily prevented.

The chaos that erupted on deadline day encapsulated the entire scenario: arrogance and greed drove everyone involved to overreach. Napoli had settled on a €70m transfer fee plus €10m in bonuses with Al-Ahli, with the player slated to earn €40m annually and, importantly, having a manageable release clause for a future return to Europe. However, Napoli’s demand for an additional €5m upset the Saudis.

Had the club been willing to accept Chelsea’s offer, Osimhen was not prepared to do so. He consistently refused throughout the summer to accept any reduction from the €10m per season agreed upon in December 2023, much less a reduction of more than half. Sky Sport Italia reported that Chelsea proposed €4m in guaranteed salary, with an additional €4m in performance-based bonuses, primarily contingent on Champions League qualification. Given Chelsea’s recent performances and their struggle to qualify for the Conference League, it is understandable why Osimhen might have been skeptical about receiving those bonuses.

Osimhen’s Deal at the Heart of Napoli’s Crisis

The contract signed in December 2023 was the root of the entire issue. It was designed to facilitate a sale before the new salary terms took effect, assuming clubs would eagerly pay the €130m release clause. However, six months later, circumstances had shifted drastically, and no one in Naples was ready to adapt to the new situation.

The timing was unfortunate because last summer, Napoli could have easily secured €130m for Osimhen. However, the Premier League’s spending spree had to end eventually, and even they could no longer afford extravagant transfer fees. Even Paris Saint-Germain shifted their approach to star players following the Kylian Mbappé saga, which is why Real Madrid showed no interest in the Nigerian.

Since the contract was finalized, Napoli has fallen to mid-table after their Scudetto-winning season. Former Capocannoniere Osimhen struggled to make a mark on a disorganized team, and his injury issues worsened, particularly after a grueling run to the Africa Cup of Nations final in February. Football’s memory is notoriously short; today’s standout player can quickly become next summer’s has-been, with trends shifting faster than TikTok fads.

We cannot place all the blame on Napoli and Osimhen alone. Other clubs also displayed significant arrogance, presuming the player would eagerly join them, accept lower wages, and disregard other offers. Chelsea, in particular, is a less attractive destination now, especially with an overstuffed squad and significant new signings being sidelined with little consideration. While participating in the Champions League, PSG believed Napoli should sell for less than what they initially paid when Osimhen transferred from LOSC. Arsenal, which might have been the best fit for him, showed little interest.

We will have to wait and see how things unfold, but it is clear that everyone at Napoli has cause for frustration and needs to reflect deeply on their actions. Responsibility is shared among all parties, and a resolution can only be reached once they collectively recognize this fact.