Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is negotiating with Antonio Conte to bring the renowned coach to Naples in the coming weeks. The Campania-based newspaper, Il Mattino, reports that the Napoli president is ready to invest €60 million over three years for Conte.
Financial Details
Calciomercato highlight the details of the deal, and report that in recent days, the gap between the coach and the club has been narrowing, but an agreement has yet to be finalized. It will take a few more days: Conte’s contract negotiations are balancing his demands against unprecedented concessions from De Laurentiis. Conte is prepared to sign a three-year deal worth around €20 million gross annually (including bonuses), amounting to approximately €60 million over the contract period. However, Conte wants complete freedom, particularly regarding an early exit from the agreement.
Release Clause
Conte desires an exit clause that allows him to terminate the contract early without penalties, exercisable at the end of each season. Essentially, if by March 30 of any year, Conte decides to leave, he wants to be able to do so without incurring any sanctions. Conversely, De Laurentiis has proposed a contract in which he retains the option to renew each spring. This remains the main point of contention.
Budget and Staff
According to Il Mattino, a budget of €230 million will be allocated for the transfer market under Conte. This will be crucial for acquiring a striker, following the potential sale of Osimhen, and at least one defender. Strategies might change if Kvaratskhelia also decides to leave the club. There are no major obstacles concerning image rights, nor for the team Conte wants to bring with him. Contracts for the staff are being drafted, including his trusted assistant Christian Stellini, his brother Gianluca (match analyst), and newcomer Elvis Abbruscato (technical collaborator). The staff’s cost is estimated to be around 1.5 million euros. The position of his right-hand man, Lele Oriali, remains uncertain as his move to Napoli has not yet been discussed.
Training Facilities
Another issue is the club’s facilities. Those at Castel Volturno are far from the standards of top European clubs. However, De Laurentiis is willing to modernize them, taking a significant step forward in this area as well. Conte is intrigued by the idea of acting as a consultant to the president for the new training center. Step by step, Napoli and Conte are getting closer to finalizing the deal.
