Despite a historic Scudetto under his belt, Luciano Spalletti could very well leave Napoli sooner rather than later. Reports have emerged from Naples of tensions brewing within the Napoli camp between club president Aurelio De Laurentiis and the ex-Inter and Roma manager despite a respectful relationship between them.
The Tuscan tactician was out of a role for a good two years after his Inter stint ended in 2019, prompting De Laurentiis to hand a short-term deal instead of a longer one. Spalletti arrived in Napoli on a two-year contract in 2021, with the option for Napoli to unilaterally extend the coach’s stay for a further year. La Gazzetta dello Sport informs why there is a rift.
#Spalletti e De Laurentiis, un rapporto di luci e ombre: adesso serve chiarezza #Napoli https://t.co/WRajzkCGfO
— La Gazzetta dello Sport (@Gazzetta_it) May 9, 2023
On account of Napoli’s iconic Scudetto win last week, the club chief decided to activate Spalletti’s one-year clause without consulting and informing him only later, leaving the manager unimpressed. Spalletti instead wanted to have a one-on-one talk and perhaps negotiate a pay rise with a new deal, with his current annual €3M salary being the lowest among the managers of top Italian clubs.
All is not lost yet, with ample space to settle differences once the season ends. Napoli are not taking the situation lightly though, having already put their plan B in motion if Spalletti leaves.
However, it should not be forgotten that Spalletti is high on the wishlist of several interested clubs, with Tottenham Hotspur looking eager to sign the Scudetto winner come summer.
 |
Follow us on Google News for more updates on Serie A and Italian football |