Napoli head coach Luciano Spalletti has just announced he is taking a year away from football, only three weeks after guiding Napoli to the 2022/23 Scudetto.
The 64-year-old has decided to prioritise his family next year rather than building on Napoli’s sensational Serie A success, a blow to the club’s fans who are still celebrating their first league triumph in over three decades.
Spalletti has given his decision to club owner Aurelio De Laurentiis after becoming the oldest manager in Serie A history to win his first Scudetto, and now the search is on for a successor.
After Napoli beat Inter Milan 3-1 last week Spalletti gave a hint of his plans, saying: “When you work from morning to night, some matters tend to mature in your mind, because you have to put this spectacle on all the time.” And now he has made his position crystal clear.
Here at SBOTOP, our Serie A 2023 betting odds backed I Partenopei for the title from the turn of the year as Spalletti got pretty much every tactical decision and team selection right. His final game ended in a 2-2 draw with Bologna and now he leaves big shoes to fill.
The Italian press has reported that former Spain boss Luis Enrique is in the frame to replace Spalletti, but it is by no means a certainty. Enrique has said he wants to work in the Premier League and he was heavily linked with Chelsea in the spring, though that ship has now sailed with the news that Mauricio Pochettino has been appointed boss at Stamford Bridge.
Napoli won’t be rushed into a quick appointment, and reports have emerged that Enrique isn’t 100-per cent convinced by the opportunity to manage the Scudetto holders. The club is apparently prepared to offer a wage of €8 million, but the Spaniard is concerned that he may lose some key players in the summer leaving him with a more difficult job.
De Laurentiis isn’t able to guarantee there will be no outgoings, but that applies to every club owner in football and it will be interesting to see how this story plays out.
Will Osimhen be on his way too?
The news that Spalletti is leaving Napoli is bad enough for Partenopei fans, and Enrique’s fears that the club will struggle to keep hold of its best players may not be far from the mark.
Striker Victor Osimhen has been at pains to say he is happy in Naples, but he is admired by pretty much all of Europe’s top clubs and the departure of his boss might convince the Nigerian that this may be the right time for him to spread his wings.
The 22-year-old is Serie A’s top scorer with 23 goals in 30 games, and Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, PSG, and Real Madrid are all said to be keen on the hitman.
Osimhen idolised Didier Drogba when he was growing up, and he might be tempted to follow his hero to Chelsea, particularly with the news that Pochettino has arrived at the London club.
And the Blues are one of the few clubs who would not baulk at a fee likely to exceed €100 million, though they will need to continue juggling their finances to avoid falling foul of financial fair play regulations, maybe by offering the player one of their famed eight-year deals.
Osimhen has been the standout striker in Serie A this season and one of the main reasons the title landed in Naples, but he hit the headlines in March when he said: “I’m working so hard to make sure I achieve my dream of playing in the Premier League some day.”
Milan on the hunt for a winger
In other Serie A 2023 news, AC Milan are in the market for a right winger after their current players in that position, Junior Messias and Alexis Saelemaekers, have been hit and miss this season.
Neither has been able to hold down a place, and head coach Stefano Pioli wants to find consistency on that flank to take the pressure off the excellent Rafael Leao.
There are a number of experienced right sided players who could become available, such as former Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo, currently at Galatasaray, and Marco Asensio who is due to leave Real Madrid in the summer.
And Pioli might turn to long-term target Domenico Berardi, who could be ready to move on from Sassuolo. At 28 years of age, Berardi may think a move to Milan will advance his Azzurri career, and it could be a good fit for both player and club.
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