Mario Giuffredi, the agent of several prominent players including Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Matteo Politano, recently shared insights on various topics related to Napoli and his clients in an interview with Radio Crc.
Regarding Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Giuffredi revealed, “Inter was the first team to show interest in Di Lorenzo this summer. Let me clarify: Giovanni has always been happy to stay at Napoli. The summer situation disturbed us a bit, as he felt mistreated. Seeing him treated this way at the first sign of difficulty hurt both me and the player. However, Di Lorenzo always wanted to stay at Napoli!”
On Matteo Politano’s situation, the agent stated, “Politano wanted to stay in Naples. We lost a lot of money, but we’re happy he remained at Napoli. He’s a global and complete player. He plays well in both phases. He was one of the few who performed well last year.”
Giuffredi also discussed Folorunsho’s contract renewal and near-transfer to Atalanta, admitting to mishandling the situation: “Folorunsho renewed his contract because the coach was counting on him. The president did what the coach wanted. Then the situation was poorly managed by me and Manna. An important offer came from Atalanta, and Napoli was struggling to sell players. I was intrigued by the idea of the player being coached by Gasperini.”
Regarding Mario Rui’s departure from his agency, Giuffredi explained, “There can be differences in life. There can be dynamics that can lead to the end of a relationship. He always behaved well with me in these twelve years. He had a good career. He has always been undervalued. The player’s value is unquestionable. He received various offers like those from São Paulo. He decided this way. I didn’t agree with his choices. We ended our relationship.”
The agent also touched on his relationships with Napoli president De Laurentiis and former sporting director Giuntoli, as well as his impressions of Antonio Conte. He addressed the recent security concerns in Naples, stating, “We live in the city with serenity and feel at home. For Giovanni, it’s a quiet city. I want to say this: these are isolated cases! Thefts happen in Naples as well as in other cities. It’s just that if it happens here, they tend to exaggerate it. This city is portrayed for what it is not. The players feel safe here.”
