Napoli search for Spalletti replacement after Serie A title
ROME: Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis may be facing an even bigger challenge now than he did a year ago when captain Lorenzo Insigne, club record scorer Dries Mertens and defensive stalwart Kalidou Moulibaly left the club.
Napoli more than exceeded expectations when new signees Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Kim Min-jae helped the southern club win Serie A for the first time in more than three decades.
But now Luciano Spalletti the coach whose attacking tactics garnered plaudits from all over Europe is leaving, and so is sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli the man who signed "Kvara" and Kim and a host of other influential players like Giacomo Raspadori and Giovanni Simeone.
While Spalletti is taking a year off, Giuntoli appears headed to rival Juventus.
"Starting today, and for the entire month of June, we'll work diligently toward finding a new coach," De Laurentiis said after Napoli was awarded the Serie A trophy following its final match of the season on Sunday. "It's not the first time that we've had to open a new cycle and in the past we've very rarely made the wrong choice."
Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Italiano, who uses the same 4-3-3 formation as Spaletti, is reportedly the leading candidate for the Napoli job, although nothing will be decided until after Fiorentina concludes its season by playing in the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday against West Ham.
Former Napoli coach Rafa Benitez is also apparently interested in returning to the club, while ex Barcelona and Spain coach Luis Enrique reportedly turned the job down.
Whoever is hired will be tasked with trying to keep Napoli's key players. Kim is attracting interest from the Premier League and Serie A scoring leader Victor Osimhen's value has soared above 100 million euros (100 million) on the transfer market.
"I love this city and I love the fans," Osimhen said. "Next season we can win the Champions
League, too. Let's see what the president decides. I'll accept whatever the decision is."
Also, "Kvara," the dribbling wizard from Georgia, wants a new contract after being awarded with the league's MVP award. Although he said Sunday that he's "happy" to stay at Napoli. Spalletti is taking what's been labeled as a "sabbatical" year, although he doesn't plan to return to Napoli.
"Napoli changed my life," Spalletti said. "Nobody can ever get in the way of the feeling between me and this city."
Spalletti added that he could be open to coaching a national team after his year off.
"There's no need to judge your choice," read a banner put up by Napoli's hard-core "ultra" fans inside the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. "Honor to the man that realized our dream. Ciao mister."
Roma coach Jose Mourinho was suspended for the Giallorossi's final match of the season, a 2-1 win over Spezia, but he came out and joined his team to salute fans at the final whistle.