De Laurentiis is set for trial. image credit: Goal via X
(The Post News)– Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis will stand trial on charges of false accounting. Which are connected to a series of player transfers conducted between 2019 and 2021. including high-profile deals of Kostas Manolas and Victor Osimhen. The development marks a significant escalation in a case that has hovered over the club for more than a year.
Stake holders affected
A Rome court ruled on Thursday that De Laurentiis, with club director Andrea Chiavelli and SSC Napoli as corporate entity. Must face prosecution after the Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office formally sought a trial earlier this year. Judge Rosamaria De Lellis approved the request. Paving the way for proceedings that could have major ramifications for the Serie A giants.
De Laurentiis’ charges stem from alleged irregularities in Napoli’s accounting practices. With investigators claiming that transfer values were artificially inflated to balance the club’s financial statements. This reportedly happened during the 2019, 2020 and 2021 fiscal years.
Among the transactions under scrutiny is Napoli’s 2020 purchase of Nigerian star Victor Osimhen from Lille. A deal worth around €80 million and involving multiple player exchanges and the signing of Greek defender Kostas Manolas.
What is the investigation all about?
Investigations against De Laurentiis began in June 2023. Where the Neapolitan Public Prosecutor’s Office instructed the Guardia di Finanza to raid the club’s headquarters. The search was for documentations related to the Osimhen transfer. The operation intensified concerns already circulating in Italian football over inflated valuations. A rumored creative financial manoeuvring designed to comply with financial regulations.
While De Laurentiis has consistently maintained that Napoli’s dealings complied with all legal and regulatory standard. The club will now have to defend its conduct before the court. The trial is expected to examine transfer valuations, internal correspondence, and the roles of executives involved in the transactions.
Serie A continues to grapple with deeper scrutiny of transfer finances and bookkeeping practices. De Laurentiis’s case stands to become one of the most closely watched legal battles in Italian football. The outcome could shape the regulatory environment for years to come. This could cast a long shadow over one of Serie A’s most influential presidents.
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