La Gazzetta dello Sport claim Napoli sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli is ready to give up certain bonuses in order to move to Juventus this summer. The 51-year-old was one of the key architects of the Partenopei’s Scudetto success last season, attracting attention from the Bianconeri, with who he has reportedly agreed a five-year-contract.
Gazzetta report today that Giuntoli will meet De Laurentiis this week and offer to waive arrears, bonuses and final salary, but it is not certain that the president will accept.
The newspaper claim is is a ‘decisive week’ for Giuntoli joining Juventus, with the sporting director ready to play his last card: he will meet De Laurentiis to convince him to let him go to Turin. Giuntoli will ‘put about €2 million in the pot between bonuses, arrears and wages in an attempt to wrest a yes from the president.’
La Gazzetta dello Sport writes:
“The S.D hopes to come to an agreement with President De Laurentiis to arrive at an immediate exit ahead of the natural expiration of the contract (in 2024). After “phase 1” (the communication to the president in recent months that he wants to leave Napoli after 8 years) and “phase 2” (the waiting period), “phase 3″ will be triggered at the beginning of the week. Giuntoli, who has been chosen by Juventus as the manager of reference to lead the reconstruction of the next 4-5 years, will get in touch again with De Laurentiis.”
“The Tuscan manager, architect of the Carpi miracle – led from Serie D to A – and of Napoli’s historic post-Maradona Scudetto, will propose to De Laurentiis a series of economic waivers. Between normal arrears, bonuses (for winning the Scudetto and going to the Champions League) and the salary for the last year of his contract (2023-24), up to €2 million net (about 4 gross). Not a figure that would make a wealthy businessman like the Azzurri president lose sleep. But not two lentils either. Especially for someone who, like De Laurentiis, has taken Napoli to the top in recent years with rationality and attention to accounts.”
“Waiting for Juve already, better to salary a resigning executive for another year in order to delay his landing at Juventus by twelve months? Or better to take away the satisfaction, after Higuain’s €90 million clause in 2016, which they’re still earning from, thanks to the Bianconeri, albeit indirectly, even for the transfer of a manager and not a player? Since this is De Laurentiis, a skilled merchant but also a president accustomed to surprise, the ending is not a foregone conclusion. There is also a third possible scenario: consensual separation at the end of August, after the market is over.”
