Blues land no Maur of old guard
BY NEIL McLEMAN MAURIZIO SARRI was only allowed to join Chelsea after signing a “non-belligerence pact” agreeing not to buy any more Napoli players.
The Italian coach finally joined the Blues a fortnight ago even though he was replaced by Carlo Ancelotti at the end of the season.
The deal included the £50million purchase of midfielder Jorginho.
Now Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis has revealed the delay was because Sarri and Chelsea had wanted more of the squad that came second in Serie A.
He said: “I allowed Sarri to go to Chelsea only after he signed a written agreement not to be able to negotiate for any of our players except Jorginho who we had decided to sell.
“There was a fight not without punches – and not only on our part – to take away some other players. But they did not succeed.
“And so they all signed a non-belligerence pact.”
Sarri had also wanted to bring defenders Elseid Hysaj and Kalidou Koulibaly to Chelsea.
Flamboyant film producer De Laurentiis and the chain-smoking coach made a great double act for nearly three years until their bitter summer divorce.
And the Napoli chief has gone back on past praise of Sarri due to an absence of silverware.
He said: “It’s true I called him a genius but his genius is a bit one-dimensional – I saw him play in only one way.
“Let’s see what he does in England. In the last six years he has matured more than in the first 30.
“What is he missing? A complete coach doesn’t only entertain but he has to also win.”
De Laurentiis said he reprimanded Sarri last season for not rotating his squad and giving up on European football as Napoli finished behind Juventus in the league.
He claimed: “I understood it was over when he told me, ‘I don’t know if I can do better with these players’.
“Sarri had entered the stage where a coach thinks of himself or tries to build a golden pension.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea have been approached by Marseille over a move for Olivier Giroud.
The Ligue 1 side were keen on the French World Cup winner last summer and are back after failing to land Mario Balotelli from Nice.
It comes as Blues target Gonzalo Higuain edges closer to a seasonlong loan at AC Milan.
Talks between the Juventus striker and Milan general manager Leonardo are set to take place today.