Napoli and Antonio Conte in Key Talks About Manager’s Future

Antonio Conte and Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis are meeting to decide if Conte will stay at the club, even after winning the Serie A title in his first season.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Conte and De Laurentiis are having an important meeting about Conte’s future. He led Napoli to their fourth Scudetto and second title in three seasons, but his future is still not clear. Conte joined Napoli at the start of the 2024-25 season with a contract until June 2027. However, there have been tensions between him and the club’s management throughout the season.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Conte might leave just days after Napoli’s Serie A win, which they achieved with a 2-0 victory over Cagliari. Conte turned Napoli’s position around from 10th last season to winning the title by one point over Inter Milan. Despite celebrating with a bus parade, reports say Conte criticized the management openly, leading to tensions that could cause him to leave.

De Laurentiis said he can’t force Conte to stay: “Conte has a three-year contract. If he wants to stay and aim for the Champions League, we are ready to assist him. If he wants to leave, I can’t force him. I will ask him to stay, but I can’t force anyone.”

WHAT’S NEXT FOR CONTE?

If Conte leaves Napoli, he will have options. AC Milan has shown interest in him, but their new sporting director might have other plans. Juventus is also interested and may try to bring Conte back to Turin, where he was successful as both a player and a manager. Juventus feels they should have appointed him last summer and thinks he can bring back their winning mentality.

If Conte leaves, Napoli will need a new manager to continue his success and prepare for the Champions League. Allegri, the current manager of Juventus, has been suggested as a replacement if Conte exits, potentially creating a dramatic managerial shift in Serie A.