News Focus
- Aurelio De Laurentiis states Napoli cannot announce their new manager until league rules allow the club to make it official
- The Serie A side will hold summer training camps in Trentino and Abruzzo after rejecting multi-million euro offers to tour abroad
- Napoli plans to mark its 100th anniversary with celebrations lasting the entire 2026-27 campaign rather than a single event
- The club president describes Stadio Maradona as a ‘dump’ and suggests constructing a new stadium may cost less than renovation
- De Laurentiis insists Napoli will continue competing for major honours despite parting ways with former coach Antonio Conte
Aurelio De Laurentiis has addressed journalists about Napoli’s future plans, but he refused to confirm that Massimiliano Allegri will become the club’s next head coach. The president explained that strict football regulations prevent him from discussing the appointment at this moment.
“You know the rules,” De Laurentiis told reporters on Thursday. “Even if we have selected a coach, we cannot announce it now. I respect the regulations, even when I do not agree with them. When the time comes, we will share the news.”
Most football experts expect Allegri to sign a two-year contract with Napoli. He would replace Antonio Conte, who left the club by mutual consent recently. However, De Laurentiis would not speak about the deal because of legal constraints.
The Napoli owner also shared details about the team’s pre-season preparations. The squad will train in two Italian regions: Trentino and Abruzzo. They have turned down offers worth several million euros to play friendly matches in other countries.
“A businessman named Charlie Stellitano offers us four or five million euros to travel abroad each summer,” De Laurentiis explained. “He wrote to me again last week. I replied that we would need fifteen million euros for just five days. He did not contact me again.”
De Laurentiis spoke about Napoli’s upcoming 100th birthday in 2026. He wants to celebrate this milestone for a full twelve months, running from August 2026 until July 2027.
“A centenary deserves an entire year of festivities,” he said. “We want to show that Napoli is not simply a football club. It represents a philosophy and a way of life.”
The president also discussed the stadium situation. He called Stadio Maradona a “dump” and claimed that even spending €200 million would not solve its problems. He believes building a completely new stadium might actually cost less than repairing the current ground.
De Laurentiis promised supporters that Napoli will still challenge for the Serie A title and the Champions League despite Conte’s departure. He reminded everyone that he won the Scudetto before with a coach who had never previously lifted the Italian league trophy.
The club will play their opening match of next season away from home. This will give workers enough time to repair the pitch after summer music concerts damage the playing surface.
Finally, De Laurentiis responded to comments from Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne, who said he was “happy” that Conte had left Napoli. The president stated that if any player wishes to leave the club, they are free to go. “There are plenty of footballers in the world,” he added.