News Focus
- Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis confirms American consortium wants to purchase the Serie A club
- Owner reveals he rejected a €3.5 billion bid from Arab investors following the COVID-19 pandemic
- De Laurentiis insists finding a successor who leads with heart is more important than cash
- Manager Antonio Conte confirms he will leave the club after just two seasons in charge
- Club must respect strict financial limits unlike Europe’s richest teams, states president
Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has confirmed he received a formal offer from an American consortium seeking to purchase the Italian champions. The film producer revealed the bid at a press conference on Sunday alongside departing manager Antonio Conte.
Reports from The Athletic and Corriere dello Sport suggest the group, led by businessman Matt Rizzetta, tabled a proposal worth approximately €2 billion. De Laurentiis rejected this advance, though sources indicate the Americans remain hopeful of completing a deal later this year.
The Napoli president disclosed this was not the first approach from overseas investors. He recalled a $900 million bid from American parties in 2017, followed by a staggering $3.5 billion offer from Arab buyers after the COVID-19 pandemic began. De Laurentiis told reporters he dismissed both proposals because he questioned what he would do with his time if he retired.
“Money is not the difficulty,” De Laurentiis explained. “The real question is whether any new owner can guide this club with genuine passion and heart. You cannot make films without heart, and football works exactly the same way.”
The press conference followed Napoli’s 1-0 victory against Udinese on the final day of the season. Conte used the occasion to confirm his exit from the dugout after just two campaigns. The coach and president revealed they reached a mutual agreement to separate in April.
De Laurentiis defended the club’s financial model, admitting Napoli cannot match the spending power of Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich or England’s top sides. “We must respect our budget. We cannot exceed our limits,” he stated. He also criticised the declining quality of play in Italy’s top division.
Regarding Conte’s replacement, the president refused to name candidates. He suggested several returning players might thrive under different tactical leadership. “Perhaps these footballers did not suit Conte’s system, but they could perform well for a new manager,” De Laurentiis concluded.