Luciano Spalletti could be heading for a one-year spell on the sidelines after he leaves Napoli this summer. Reports have continued to point toward a split between the coach and the club he led to a historic Serie A title, with reference made to a break in relations between Spalletti and Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis.
Il Mattino report that the Tuscan tactician doesn’t want another job next season and will ask for a contract termination from Napoli, which, under these conditions, will let him leave and will not force him to honor his contract until 2024.
It’s not a foregone conclusion, but Napoli will reportedly release him for free, without any financial impact, despite the triggering of his contract extension.
Il Mattino claim Napoli are likely to include a clause of a few million Euro’s in the coaches contract termination, so that if he chooses to return to the bench at another club next season, they will receive some form of financial compensation.
The report also highlights how De Laurentiis has been ‘astonished’ by Spalletti’s decision to leave and was hoping for a turnaround, but has understood, especially after the match against Inter at the weekend, that there’s no hope of changing his mind. For his part, the president wants the ‘divorce’ to be amicable, and will ask the coach to lead their tour of South Korea this summer, before departing.
Alternative names continue to circulate, with Napoli being linked to Antonio Conte, Rafa Benitez, Cholo Simeone and Luis Enrique, but Il Mattino suggest De Laurentiis is struggling to find a worthy successor to Spalletti.
