Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis refuses to release Cristiano Giuntoli for Juventus and confirms he has a list of ’40 names’ as coach, but Fiorentina boss Vincenzo Italiano is not one of them.
The Partenopei won the Scudetto for the third time in their history, the first since 1990, but coach Luciano Spalletti announced his intention to walk away and have a sabbatical year off.
The search could also be on for a new director of sport, with multiple sources noting Giuntoli is the first pick for Juventus, but today the President slammed the door on that idea.
“He is a director of sport, he has a contract with us until June 30, 2024. So I don’t see why you are asking about him,” said De Laurentiis during a press conference to present their pre-season training camp.
“I am going to verify a list of names that has gone from 22 to 40 for the coach. I have to verify their availability, if they are suited to the 4-3-3 system, suited to the defence and high-press attack. It takes time, we need to understand their character, if they are culturally suited to Naples. After all that, you also must give them the option to not accept and to understand fully what it is they are negotiating for.
“I will say that the 4-3-3 tactic is definitive and cannot be changed.”
Italiano has been repeatedly mentioned as an option for Napoli, as he too used the 4-3-3 formation at Fiorentina and before that Spezia, but De Laurentiis warned that was not one of the alternatives.
He was asked if he will watch the Conference League Final this evening between Fiorentina and West Ham United.
“Yes I will, but not because I am interested in Italiano. I congratulated Italiano in the locker room when he beat us with Spezia a few years ago at the Stadio Maradona. Italiano is an excellent coach, but he has a commitment to Fiorentina. It is not fair to break the balance of a club that is friendly with us and sees things the same way, engages in the same battles.
“If Italiano were the one who decided to break the balance within his club, then at that point I could take him into consideration. But I didn’t put him in my list of 40 names because he is under contract. I also have no intention of paying any release clauses, seeing as coming to Napoli is not an obligation.”
De Laurentiis became irritated as the questions kept coming on Giuntoli and hinted that perhaps he could take a more hands-on approach to the transfer market.
“Why do we have to talk about the director of sport? He is an important figure, but not central for next season, which will not be based around a director of sport.”