New Napoli manager Antonio Conte has returned to Naples and will immediately have a first transfer market meeting. The club are looking to resolve the issue of captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s future, following reports that he is ready to leave the club this summer. Club president Aurelio De Laurentiis, directors Giovanni Manna, Andrea Chiavelli, and possibly the agent of the Azzurri full-back will be at the table for the upcoming summit.
La Gazzetta dello Sport report that Antonio Conte’s arrival in Naples today (with his official presentation at the Court Theater of the Royal Palace tomorrow) will mark the beginning of a new era for the Azzurri, with the Salento-born coach at the helm. The former national team manager will be directing operations, having already been engaged for days in resolving the most thorny cases – starting with those involving big names like Di Lorenzo and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Yesterday, President De Laurentiis personally attempted to find common ground with the captain’s agent, Mario Giuffredi, who a few weeks ago clearly expressed his client’s desire to leave (possibly for Juventus). De Laurentiis reiterated Conte’s desire to coach the national team full-back and, more importantly, his own willingness to respect the recently renewed contract binding Di Lorenzo to Napoli. Giuffredi hasn’t budged from his initial position but certainly appreciated the effort made. This is why the pressure could continue today, as a transfer market summit between De Laurentiis, Chiavelli, Manna, and Conte is definitely scheduled, and it’s possible that Giuffredi will also be summoned for a definitive “in or out” decision.
Conte demands only players with strong motivation and a great sense of belonging under his command. So, even if the idea is to retain Di Lorenzo at any cost, it will be necessary to truly understand the former Empoli player’s intentions. There will be no dissatisfied players from the start of the Dimaro retreat (friendly match with Mantova on July 20), and this applies to Kvaratskhelia as well. The Georgian’s fate will also be among the topics of today’s discussion: Napoli is resisting PSG, whose advances have made inroads into the player’s heart (and wallet), but in this case too, clarity (and this time also a contract renewal) is urgently needed soon.
