Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis has warned that the club will no longer sign African players unless there is an agreement to back out of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
The news will not be pleasing to Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen and his Cameroonian teammate Zambo Anguissa who are still with the team, and this could also hinder the players from renewing their contracts with the club once it expires.
“I told them lads, don’t talk to me about Africans anymore!” said De Laurentiis during a streamed event as quoted by Football Italia.
“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!
“We are the idiots who pay salaries only to send them all over the world playing for others.”
Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly was another African player with Napoli but left this summer to sign for English Premier League club Chelsea.
Recall that during the last edition of AFCON in Cameroon, Napoli lost Anguissa and Koulibaly as they represented their nations at the competition.
Meanwhile, Osimhen was not available for Napoli and Nigeria as he was out injured.
